WorldFirefighters contending with an overheating tank of hazardous chemicals in Southern California on Monday said an overnight operation had eliminated the possibility of the tank exploding.Gov. Gavin Newsom had declared a state of emergencyThomson Reuters · Posted: May 25, 2026 11:45 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 1 minuteThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Water is sprayed on a damaged tank at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, Calif., on Sunday after the tank containing a chemical used to make plastic parts overheated Thursday. (Ethan Swope/The Associated Press)Firefighters contending with an overheating tank of hazardous chemicals in Southern California on Monday said an overnight operation had eliminated the possibility of the tank exploding.The tank of highly flammable methyl methacrylate began overheating on Thursday at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, a city of about 172,000 people roughly 35 kilometres south of Los Angeles.By Saturday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom had declared a state of emergency and evacuation orders had been issued for an area home to tens of thousands of people as fears mounted that the tank could rupture and spill up to 26,500 litres of toxic material or explode and endanger nearby tanks.California officials say potential crack on overheated chemical tank could lower riskWhat is methyl methacrylate, the chemical that's caused a state of emergency in southern California?Firefighters celebrated the appearance of a crack in the tank over the weekend, which helped relieve pressure, and the tank had cooled slightly."That is incredibly positive news," Craig Covey, a division chief at the Orange County Fire Authority, said in a video statement. WATCH | Potential crack in tank could lower risk:Potential crack in California chemical tank could avert explosion, officials sayMay 24|Duration 2:05Fire officials say a potential crack in a pressurized tank containing a toxic and highly flammable chemical at an aerospace manufacturing plant in California may help avert a cataclysmic explosion as tens of thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate.