Authorities in Southern California are racing to contain a hazardous chemical leak from a storage tank, with approximately 40,000 people under evacuation orders. The chemical is used in the manufacturing of plastic parts, and there are fears of a potential explosion.

<img alt="A far-away view of water being sprayed onto a chemical tank at a California aerospace plant." height="349" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/3224e8f9-d2b6-4717-b9b3-6b1253e75a90,1779501861238/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C476%2C3500%2C1968%29%3BResize%3D%28620%29" title="Water is sprayed on a tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP)" width="620" /><p>Authorities in Southern Cali...