On Friday, about 40,000 residents were evacuated from Southern California as officials warned of a potential disaster involving a tank at a facility in Orange County. The tank holds 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly toxic and flammable chemical that poses serious health risks, including respiratory problems and skin irritation. Emergency responders have successfully cooled the tank, but efforts to neutralize the chemical have failed due to faulty valves. Orange County Fire Authority incident commander Craig Coby outlined two possible scenarios: the tank could either crack and leak the chemical or explode. If a leak occurs, containment barriers will be used to prevent the chemical from entering storm drains or waterways. Hazmat teams are on standby to manage any toxic vapors that may arise. Authorities are also closely monitoring the tank's temperature to avoid a thermal runaway situation, which would necessitate further evacuations. As the situation develops, officials are exploring alternative solutions to mitigate the risk.