Hundreds lined up and passed through security screening devices before entering a meeting where they could learn about the compensation program for losses suffered in what could have been one of the worst industrial disasters in Orange County history.
These residents and business owners were in the danger zone when a large chemical tank at the GKN Aerospace plant in Garden Grove began to dangerously overheat on May 21, 2026. The mandatory evacuation order lasted five days, impacting 50,000 residents and businesses in six cities. The emergency response alone would generate $8,471,385.50 in costs.
An explosion of the highly volatile material – methyl methacrylate (MMA) – might have sent a plume of toxic chemicals over a huge area. Parts of Garden Grove, Westminster, Buena Park, Anaheim, Cypress, and almost all of Stanton were potentially affected. GKN manufactures parts for commercial airplanes, military aircraft and spacecraft. Its Garden Grove plant specializes in aircraft windows, cockpit windshields and protective cockpit canopies, including the canopy used on the F-35 fighter jet.
The October 27 town hall at Delta Hotels Anaheim/Garden Grove coincided with the opening of a court-approved…