Residents of Garden Grove were asked to evacuate Friday after officials warned that a tank holding a toxic chemical could explode.
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Kayla Bartkowski
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Topline:
Authorities said a crack in the Garden Grove tank holding toxic chemicals has released pressure from the tank and taken the threat of an explosion "off the table" — nearly 50,000 Orange County residents still remain under evacuation orders.
Why now? TJ McGovern, interim fire chief for the Orange County Fire Authority, said Monday morning that crews verified the crack and that the tank has released its pressure. He said the tank's temperature is also reducing, but evacuation orders are still in place.
Evacuation information: The evacuation area is between Trask Avenue to the north, Ball Road to the south, Valley View Street to the east and Dale Street to the west. It encompasses parts of Garden Grove, Cypress, Anaheim, Buena Park and Westminster.
Read on ... for more on official updates.
All evacuations will be lifted for Orange County residents near a Garden Grove tank holding toxic chemicals, according to an announcement from the city's police chief at a community meeting Tuesday evening. About 16,000 people had remained displaced Tuesday, following earlier evacuations affecting nearly 50,000 people.
"I'm happy to report that we are going to be lifting the evacuation in its entirety immediately," said Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra. He said alerts would be sent via official channels.
"Everyone can return to their homes," El-Farra said.
Officials reported Monday morning that an overnight operation was successful in finding a crack in the tank that had reduced pressure and lowered temperatures inside which took the threat of an explosion "off the table."
Still, the backlash to the scare has only just begun. At least seven lawsuits have already been filed against GKN Aerospace, representing about 70 plaintiffs, according to the Orange County Register. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer also said his office had launched an investigation into the incident.
Where things stand now
Authorities said that as of Tuesday they had neutralized chemicals in two neighboring tanks, further reducing the risk of a catastrophic chemical explosion. By Tuesday afternoon, authorities turned off the deluge of water on the compromised tank, and temperatures have remained stable, at 91 degrees, since. Authorities will now monitor the tank continuously, and are looking for temperatures to continue to drop.
"With that being checked off and the two tanks being stabilized, we felt very confident that, one, we have no explosion risk, two, there is no fire risk, and three, there is no risk of any leaks or vapors being released into the air," Fire Captain Brian Yau, a spokesperson for Orange County Fire Authority, told LAist.
Officials added that water and air monitors have not detected any exceedances of pollutants around the site.
Evacuation information
The evacuation zone that included nearly 50,000 residents was reduced Monday evening.
The borders included Orangewood Avenue to the north, Dale Street to the east, Knott Street to the west and Garden Grove Boulevard to the south, according to Garden Grove police.
All off and on ramps of the 22 Freeway also reopened.
Dozens of people spoke at a community meeting about the chemical tank in Garden Grove on Tuesday night.
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Evacuation centers
The American Red Cross had seven open shelters providing food, health services, mental health support and a place to stay day or night, according to spokesperson Brianna Kelly.
“Everyone is welcome at Red Cross shelters,” Kelly told LAist in an email, “and anyone affected by a disaster or emergency can always stop by a shelter to access Red Cross services, whether or not they are staying overnight at the shelter.”
Pets are also welcome, Kelly said, and volunteers will be available to meet one-on-one with people in the shelters to help them transition back to their homes as evacuation orders are lifted.
These were the shelter locations:
Los Amigos High School, 16566 Newhope St., Fountain Valley
Golden West College, 15744 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach
Los Amigos High School, 16566 Newhope St., Fountain Valley
Savanna High School, 301 N. Gilbert St., Anaheim
Freedom Hall, 16801 Euclid St., Fountain Valley
Ocean View High School, 17071 Gothard St., Huntington Beach
John F. Kennedy High School, 8281 Walker St., La Palma
More than 1,400 residents have gotten support at the shelters over the course of the disaster, Kelly said, with the assistance of 200 Red Cross responders.
Kevin Nguyen is a Westminster resident who was staying at the Los Amigos High School shelter when he spoke to LAist on Monday.
“I just thought that we were going to have a place to stay and that was good enough for me,” he said, “but they really provided us with food and all that. It was over the top and I really appreciate that.”
Nguyen said he had been at the shelter for three days, and appreciated the chance to connect with his community despite the circumstances. He said he met new friends and was able to help put beds together and translate for Vietnamese-speaking residents.
Schools
Some Orange County schools reopened Tuesday in response to the revised evacuation boundaries, including nine Garden Grove Unified campuses.
The O.C. registrar of voters closed one early voting location at the Garden Grove Sports and Recreation Center, as well as three ballot drop box locations in Garden Grove, Westminster and Stanton.
How we got here
On Thursday afternoon, vapor began seeping from storage tanks holding an industrial chemical used in plastics manufacturing at GKN Aerospace's facility, which is about a mile north of the 22 Freeway in Garden Grove.
Evacuation orders were issued but later lifted after officials thought the situation was under control. But on Friday morning, evacuation orders were reissued and expanded because hazmat teams were unable to secure the largest tank, officials said.
Hazmat crews used sensors on the ground to monitor for chemical leaks and drone flights to watch the temperature of the tank’s outside surface. Firefighters also approached the tanks to read gauges that show the internal temperature of the tanks.
Officials said Friday it was almost certain the tank would either explode or crack and spill out toxins into the surrounding area.
Nearly 50,000 residents in Garden Grove and surrounding Orange County cities were ordered to evacuate Friday as the tank’s temperature rose.
Craig Covey, division chief with Orange County Fire Authority, said barriers had been placed around the tank to try to contain the chemical in case of a spill, and to keep it from flowing into storm drains and the ocean.
Covey said aid is coming from across the country as officials try to develop contingency plans and protect nearby neighborhoods and waterways in case the tank fails.
At least nine local and federal agencies have been involved in the response. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday and the Orange County District Attorney's office has launched an investigation into the incident, involving GKN Aerospace.
Orange County District Attorney Anonymous Tip Hotline
O.C. District Attorney's office has established an anonymous tip line for information on the Garden Grove incident, seeking information including maintenance frequency and industrial operations at GKN.
Local authorities said the tank contains around 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, known as MMA, which safety officials say is highly flammable and toxic.
Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, Orange County's chief health officer, said the substance can cause skin and eye irritation and respiratory illness. She said there are few case studies of the effects of exposure to the chemical on humans.
"This is where we really need everybody to heed all of the evacuation orders," she said. "We don’t know the long-term consequences."
About the leak
A specialized team was assembled to access the tank Saturday night and found a crack, McGovern said Sunday.
The leak allowed pressure to bleed off from the tank, according to local authorities, but did not spread toxic vapors into the area.
Chris Myers, a federal on-scene coordinator with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, told reporters Monday the agency had been monitoring the air “around the clock” and found no air safety issues.
“There was no contamination,” said Chinsio-Kwong. “There were no fumes. There were no vapors that came from this incident.”
Covey said the OCFA has been testing the millions of gallons of water running off from the tanks from efforts to cool them, and the water has been “100 percent clean” over the entire incident.
The company's response
The tanks are owned by GKN Aerospace, which manufactures windows and canopies for military and civilian aircraft at the facility. In a statement, a spokesperson for the company wrote:
We are continuing to work around the clock with the OCFA, the EPA and all relevant federal, state, and local agencies. We remain extremely thankful for their dedication and hard work and will continue working alongside them and community partners as recovery efforts move forward.
We apologize for the ongoing disruption this incident is causing, and our priority remains the safety of our neighbors and our community. We request that all those affected follow instructions issued by local authorities and emergency personnel at this time.
Courtney Eileen Fulcher
is the apprentice news clerk for AirTalk and FilmWeek, hosted by Larry Mantle.
Published June 29, 2026 5:32 PM
A 1938 photo of KNX's studios.
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Herman J Schultheis
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Los Angeles Public Library
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Topline:
With KNX's shift last month back to AM radio only, we asked Southern Californians to share their memories of listening to the radio.
Why now: Back in April, broadcast company Audacy announced it was moving KNX News — one of the last-remaining all-news FM stations — off 97.1 FM, but keeping the long-running news format on 1070 AM where it's been for more than 100 years. The move officially happened in May to make way for a new sports talk station.
A radio time capsule: AirTalk, LAist's flagship daily news show which airs on 89.3 FM, asked listeners to share their favorite memories of listening to the radio.
Continue reading... for vintage photos from The Los Angeles Public Library's digital archive collections highlighting Southern California's rich radio history.
Southern California was built on radio.
"I can still hear the jingle KFWB News 98,” wrote Taline in Los Feliz, during a recent conversation on LAist's daily news show, AirTalk, which airs on 89.3 FM. “I grew up hearing that in my dad's minivan on the way to and from school. It has a special place in my heart.”
Back in April, broadcast company Audacy announced KNX News — one of the last-remaining all-news FM stations — was leaving the FM dial where it had simulcast on 97.1 FM since 2021. The station, which is also one of the oldest in L.A., is not budging from 1070 AM where it has been on the air for more than 100 years. The move away from FM officially happened in May to make way for a new sports talk station, which Audacy officials called an area of growth for advertisers in today’s media landscape.
The move is one in a long line of changes for radio and a reminder that before podcasts, playlists and algorithms, many Southern Californians built their days around radio broadcasts.
Radio, a daily ritual
The construction of KNX
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Herman J. Schultheis
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Los Angeles Public Library
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Michael Jackson, a well-known KNX, personality
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Los Angeles Public Library
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Larry Mantle, now in his 41st year hosting AirTalk, remembers being a kid and dreaming of what it might be like to be behind the mic at one of these radio stations.
“ I grew up with KNX," he said. “My dream job as a kid was to be an anchor on KNX or KFWB, the two local all-news radio stations, 'cause there was nothing like hosting AirTalk that even existed at that point.”
Mantle opened up the phone lines on a recent show to hear from his fellow SoCal radio lovers about the shows they miss and the memories they have. Here's what they had to say:
A love for radio, then and now
A pilot of KMPC's traffic alert helicopter pictured with his daughter and grandson.
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Los Angeles Public Library
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A 1963 picture of Valley State College (now Los Angeles Valley College) preparing to launch KVCM
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Larry Leach
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“When you'd walk down Hollywood Boulevard where the station was, you could hear it playing as you went down the street,” said Olivia in Glendale about KLAC 570 with Al Jarvis.
Larry in Yorba Linda shouted out KBCA Jazz for its 24-hour jazz, saying “When I first moved out here in '68 from Phoenix, which had like an hour a week, it was a real wonder.”
Mark in Glassell Park emailed that he loves KCRW’s Henry Rollins, writing, “I used to bristle at his unique DJ persona, but over time, I came to love him and his crazy eclectic playlists. I find his knowledge in history and punk rock fascinating. He's a gem and a legend."
"I'd like to give a shout-out to all the DJs working at KXLU, the college station at Loyola Marymount University, said Jeremy in Culver City in an email. “That station's been on the air for nearly 60 years. I believe it's one of the best examples of what's possible with radio."
"KFWB and KRLA back in the day when they were rock music stations — Dr. Demento, one of my favorite on-air personalities, also had eclectic music taste," said Carrie in Desert Edge.
“ Dr. Demento was must listening when I was a kid in junior high school at Le Conte Junior High in Hollywood,” Mantle added. “Every Sunday night on KMET, we would make sure we were listening to Dr. Demento and his funny records.”
The question remains…
An 11-year-old winning a car in a KMPC contest in 1963.
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Los Angeles Public Library
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Listener support is vital to any radio station, and it’s clear KNX has many lifelong fans. AirTalk listeners highlighted their support for household KNX names over the decades like Bill Keene, Melinda Lee, Mike Roy and Jackie Olden.
As KNX makes changes, many are watching closely and thinking about the future of radio.
Listeners like Tommy in La Quinta are left wondering if the radio dial will be the same…
“I’m a hardcore listener, but I don't know about casual listeners [and] if they'll tune to AM,” he said.
Libby Rainey
has been tracking how L.A. is preparing for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Published June 29, 2026 5:02 PM
LA28 chair Casey Wasserman speaks with L.A. Mayor Karen Bass at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on August 10, 2024.
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Topline:
After months of hand-wringing, Los Angeles and LA28 have come to a tentative agreement on how Olympics organizers will reimburse the city for its expenses for the 2028 Summer Games.
What's in the deal? The private Olympic organizing committee will pay upfront for the estimated cost of services that are not eligible for federal reimbursement, like trash pick-up and traffic control. Under another proposal, the city would also be able to tap an LA28 contingency fund if it isn't fully repaid by the federal government for policing costs at Olympic venues.
What happens now: The agreement is nearly nine months overdue and still needs approval by Mayor Karen Bass and the city council. The City Council's ad-hoc committee on the 2028 Games will meet Tuesday afternoon to vote on the agreement.
Concerns remain: The contract between the two parties doesn't fully resolve one of the biggest areas of financial risk for the city: the enormous cost of security for an event as extensive and high-profile as the summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Read on...for more on concerns over security costs for 2028.
After months of hand-wringing, Los Angeles and LA28 have come to a tentative agreement on how Olympics organizers will reimburse the city for its expenses for the 2028 Summer Games.
According to the deal, the private Olympic organizing committee will pay upfront for the estimated cost of services that are not eligible for federal reimbursement, like trash pick-up and traffic control. Under another proposal, the city would also be able to tap an LA28 contingency fund if it isn't fully repaid by the federal government for policing costs at Olympic venues.
The agreement is nearly nine months overdue and still needs approval by Mayor Karen Bass and the City Council.
The 2028 Olympics are intended to be privately financed, and an existing city agreement with LA28 states that the Olympics organizers, not L.A., will pay for extra costs for public services in support of the Games. But L.A. is the financial back-stop for the Olympics, meaning if LA28 goes in the red, taxpayers will pick up the bill.
Beyond that, the city services agreement presents another area where L.A. could incur additional unexpected expenses for hosting the Games. L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez warned LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover earlier this year that a bad deal could "bankrupt" the city.
Jacie Prieto Lopez, an LA28 spokesperson, and Paul Krekorian, who leads the city's office of major events, said in statements that the freshly inked agreement would help deliver a fiscally responsible Games.
"Mayor Bass’ priority is that the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games be fiscally responsible, protect taxpayers, and benefit Angelenos for decades to come. This agreement helps deliver that commitment," Krekorian said.
But the contract between the two parties doesn't fully resolve one of the biggest areas of financial risk for the city: the enormous cost of security for an event as extensive and high-profile as the summer Olympics and Paralympics.
The federal government has so far allocated $1 billion for security costs for the Olympics. Exactly where those federal funds will go has not yet been determined, and there's no guarantee they will cover all of L.A.'s policing costs.
To address this, city officials have also proposed an amendment to a 2021 agreement between the city and LA28. That amendment would establish that if L.A. is not reimbursed by the federal government for all its eligible expenses, it could dip into LA28's contingency fund of $270 million before the private organizing committee could use those funds for any legacy projects.
But that bucket of money will first be used for any costs that Olympics organizers still owe if they run out of revenue — meaning if the Olympics don't turn a profit, the city's access to that money will depend on how much is left for the taking.
Civil rights attorney Connie Rice, who has been tracking the city's negotiations with LA28, told LAist the agreement was a "PR document" not a deal. She pointed out that if the federal government does not pay up for security spending as expected, L.A. could be in trouble.
" It leaves the taxpayers with a GoFundMe strategy," she said.
The city services agreement lays the groundwork for more negotiations between LA28 and the city. Each venue will require its own agreement, to be negotiated by July 1, 2027. Venues in the city of L.A. include Dodger Stadium, the L.A. Convention Center, L.A. Memorial Coliseum and the Venice Beach Boardwalk.
The City Council's ad-hoc committee on the 2028 Games will meet Tuesday afternoon to vote on the agreement.
Keep up with LAist.
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Lucas Brady Woods
covers the weather and disasters, among other climate and science topics.
Published June 29, 2026 4:54 PM
Cleanup is underway now at the Boyle Heights food storage warehouse that spewed smoke around L.A. earlier this month.
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Alejandra Molina
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed a pair of executive orders Monday to ramp up efforts to clean the mess left by the fire that burned for a week at a Boyle Heights warehouse.
Why now: Since the warehouse fire was put out, the 85 million pounds of frozen food stored inside is now rotting, spreading foul smells throughout surrounding neighborhoods and raising concerns about an influx of pests. Residents have also been left with worries about air and water contamination after the fire and possible long-term public health effects.
Spoiled food removal: Bass and city officials said Monday the warehouse owner, Lineage, began moving food debris on Sunday to landfills in Ventura and Riverside counties. The company predicts it will take 5,000 truckloads to remove it all.
Reducing odors: Lineage plans to apply a chemical deodorizer, likely chlorine dioxide, to the food, debris and trucks leaving the warehouse. It’s also installing devices within the warehouse that will spray mist over the food inside until it is moved.
Pest control: Lineage is responsible for pest management inside the warehouse, while the city of Los Angeles is responsible for it outside the warehouse. Both have hired private contractors to manage pest control.
Air and water testing: The South Coast Air Quality Management District is overseeing efforts to measure harmful material in the air and posting data to its online air quality map. Lineage also hired private contractor Onterris to monitor air quality in the community surrounding the warehouse, with South Coast AQMD’s oversight. The Los Angeles Department of Sanitation has been monitoring water flowing from the site since firefighting operations began. It’s using a variety of methods, including containment tanks and catch basins, to divert the runoff into the sewer and prevent it from flowing into the L.A. River.
What’s next: Bass’ two executive orders are intended to accelerate cleanup efforts, protect residents and hold accountable the companies responsible for the facility and its safety. One order directs the Fire Department to report on its investigation into the cause of the fire within 90 days. The orders also include a number of provisions to help Boyle Heights residents and businesses, including free public transit, financial assistance and expanded public health resources.
Why it matters: Officials and advocates have called for transparency around the cleanup, especially because they say the neighborhood has been historically under-resourced and disproportionately subjected to environmental burdens. One of the orders signed Monday directs city officials to compile a report within 45 days on industrial areas across Los Angeles that sit close to homes and schools. The report also must include possible zoning and land use changes that would reduce negative health effects from existing and future industrial facilities.
Aaron Schrank
has been on the ground, reporting on homelessness and other issues in L.A. for more than a decade.
Published June 29, 2026 4:36 PM
Tents in the Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles on June 11, 2026.
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Topline:
L.A.’s lead homelessness agency, LAHSA, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Monday, asking a judge for relief from a federal funding suspension it calls unjustified.
How we got here: On June 11, HUD suspended the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority from federal grant activity pending an investigation into alleged mismanagement. The federal agency said the suspension means LAHSA cannot fulfill its role as collaborative applicant for the entire region’s application for federal homelessness dollars for the upcoming fiscal year. In its lawsuit, LAHSA says the suspension is the Trump administration’s back door attempt to eliminate the Continuum of Care program in L.A., which gives local officials discretion over homelessness projects submitted for federal funding.
LAHSA’s challenge: LAHSA says HUD has failed to identify any public agreement or transaction that LAHSA has violated or cite proper evidence of mismanagement. LAHSA also claims several inaccuracies and misrepresentations in HUD’s original suspension letter, including relying on reviews that LAHSA says were irrelevant to federal funding. “HUD supports its position with an amalgamation of uncorroborated hearsay information apparently cherry-picked from the internet,” the complaint states.
Legal argument: LAHSA's attorneys contend that HUD unlawfully suspended funding, arguing that the action violates the Administrative Procedure Act, the Constitution's separation of powers principle, and the Tenth Amendment. LAHSA is asking for a stay of the HUD suspension pending judicial review and a permanent injunction barring head from suspending LAHSA or blocking the work of the Los Angeles Continuum of Care.
Why it matters: The deadline for the L.A. region to submit its application to HUD for regional homelessness grants is Aug. 26. LAHSA says the suspension jeopardizes $241 million in federal funding that supports more than 11,000 people across L.A. County. LAHSA says the HUD suspension could prevent the agency from other activities, including releasing the findings of its 2026 homeless count conducted in January.
