Even as authorities lifted all evacuation orders related to last weekend’s Orange County chemical leak scare, the company behind the incident faces lawsuits and supply disruptions that could affect its operations and the aerospace industry.
The Garden Grove facility of GKN Aerospace was ground zero for the evacuation when a pressurized tank containing thousands of gallons of a toxic chemical used to make fighter-jet and commercial aircraft windows threatened to overheat, potentially causing a leak or explosion. The risk of fire or flash fire spread across many city blocks, with dozens of homes, an elementary school and businesses in a potential blast damage zone.
Although the worst-case scenario was avoided, and people were allowed to return home, there could be longer-term repercussions for the company and the aviation industry, analysts said…