Evacuated homes in Garden Grove, Southern California, have become targets for looters after a hazardous chemical leak.
According to the New York Post, over 50,000 residents were forced to leave due to chemical disaster risk. Police have arrested seven suspects.
The incident occurred on May 21 at a GKN Aerospace plant. Excessive heating of methyl methacrylate in a tank caused pressure buildup, releasing toxic vapors.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County on May 24. Fire Chief Craig Covey called it one of the worst chemical incidents in California history. The threat has since subsided as a crack in the tank allowed temperature to drop, eliminating explosion risk.
