The family hurriedly packed some belongings and drove to temporarily stay at her in-laws’ in Midway City. Everything happened so quickly that there was time only to carry important documents, cash, and a few clothes and to cover household items in case of chemical leakage.

“We are very scared and anxious because we may have to evacuate for 14 days,” Hoang Anh, who lives in Garden Grove, less than two kilometers from aerospace manufacturer GKN Aerospace, said.

Authorities in Garden Grove in Orange County discovered on May 21 that a 26,500-liter tank containing methyl methacrylate (MMA) at the facility was leaking vapor, heating up, and at risk of exploding.

By May 22, the evacuation zone had expanded, with around 50,000 people told to leave their homes.

At 3:30 p.m. on May 24, Orange County officials said temporary shelters had reached full capacity.

Hoang Anh said: “Our daily life has been completely disrupted because we still have to work but couldn’t bring many belongings. Luckily, the children had already started summer vacation.”

Garden Grove, population 172,000, along with Westminster forms the main hub of Little Saigon in Orange County, home to the largest Vietnamese community outside Vietnam.

MMA is a volatile and highly flammable liquid used in plastic production that can irritate the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, and prolonged exposure to high concentrations may affect the respiratory and nervous systems.

In recent days, Orange County officials have been spraying water on the tank to reduce the explosion risk.

Vin Nguyen, a communications worker living in the vicinity, said the incident shocked many locals who had not realized there was a facility connected to the U.S. F-35 fighter jet program near their home.

The Garden Grove facility of GKN Aerospace manufactures cockpit glass for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II as well as transparent components for commercial aircraft including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737, Airbus A350, HondaJet, and Bombardier C Series, according to company information.

“There are clearly many things ordinary people never pay attention to until the sirens start going off,” Vin Nguyen said, adding that the incident made him think more deeply about the hidden risks behind facilities that appear ordinary from the outside.

At least six law firms have announced plans to file lawsuits on behalf of those affected by the incident and seek class-action status.

Beyond fears about chemical exposure, many people are also worried about when they will be able to return home, the financial losses from prolonged evacuation, and who will be held responsible.

U.S. Representative Derek Tran, who represents the affected district, called for “a thorough investigation” into the incident at GKN Aerospace.

“Yesterday, I spoke with the leader of GKN and urged them to take full accountability for the panic and anxiety residents are experiencing across the region,” he wrote on X.

“I continue to call on FEMA and the EPA to provide immediate federal resources to assist with recovery operations.”

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has also launched a separate investigation and established a hotline to assist affected residents.

In an interview with U.S. media on the evening of May 23, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer described the situation as “horrific.”

“It is certainly unreasonable to believe that any responsible defense contractor that makes aircraft windows and uses volatile chemicals in the process would have failures of its cooling system that maintains the safety level of its chemicals,” Spitzer said in an interview, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

“There will be incredible costs associated with this situation and I’m going to be front and center in making sure people are made whole.”

Firefighters have since discovered a crack in the tank, which may help partially release internal pressure and reduce the risk of an explosion.

Amid the uncertainty, calls for help quickly spread throughout the Vietnamese community in Orange County.

Ngoc Duong, who lives in Huntington Beach, said her family opened several vacant homes in nearby cities to provide free temporary accommodation for struggling families and elderly residents for one week while authorities handle the emergency.

Shortly after posting the announcement, she said all the homes were filled after taking in 40 evacuees.

Religious organizations in the community have also stepped in to help. Dieu Ngu Pagoda in Westminster announced it would open from the morning of May 24 to shelter those needing a safe temporary refuge and provide two to three vegetarian meals daily.