FBI Raids GKN Aerospace Facility in Garden Grove Over May Chemical Leak
The FBI conducted a dawn raid on a GKN Aerospace plant in Garden Grove, California, investigating an alleged environmental crime related to a methyl methacrylate leak that occurred in May. The leak forced evacuations of over 50,000 residents and raised explosion concerns before being contained. The investigation focuses on potential violations of federal hazardous substance regulations, with agents seeking risk analysis documents and chemical samples.
Federal agents and the FBI executed a search warrant at the GKN Aerospace facility in Orange County early Wednesday morning, approximately six months after a methyl methacrylate chemical leak prompted mass evacuations. EPA Special Agent Sawyer Rotell filed the warrant to investigate alleged environmental crimes related to the hazardous chemical release, which forced more than 50,000 nearby residents to evacuate and take shelter for several days. Officials had prepared for the situation to escalate into a potential explosion before successfully containing it. The warrant authorizes agents to seize documents related to risk analysis and take samples from chemical tanks on site. The investigation is based on an alleged violation of federal law requiring prevention of accidental releases of extremely hazardous substances, though the agent acknowledges methyl methacrylate is not formally listed under the statute. A violation carries a maximum fine of $1 million.
What's missing
The current status or timeline of the investigation results, any statements from GKN Aerospace in response to the raid, and details about what specifically triggered the May leak are not provided.
What different sources said
- New York PostRight
Feds raid Garden Grove chemical plant that sparked mass evacuations with explosion fears
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