Federal search warrant served at GKN in Garden Grove where failed chemical tank prompted evacuations

Federal law-enforcement agents conducted a search on Wednesday morning, June 10 at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove where a failed chemical tank over the Memorial Day weekend prompted mass evacuations because of the fear of a toxic spill or a massive explosion.

The FBI and the Environmental Protection Agency were carrying out the search, officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Authorities declined to comment further.

An unsealed search warrant specified that the agents would be looking for a variety of documents, including records related to the treatment, storage, disposal and transportation of methyl methacrylate, a flammable, toxic and highly volatile chemical used for plastic manufacturing that was in the failed tank.

The warrant also lists wanted records related to equipment inspections and maintenance at GKN and samples of substances within any tanks or containers suspected of having previously held methyl methacrylate or other hazardous materials.

Three weeks ago, the threat of an overheating chemical storage container forced the evacuation of roughly 50,000 residents of Garden Grove and neighboring cities.

Many of those residents have since called for the shutdown or relocation of the 15-acre GKN Aerospace facility and for direct reimbursements to impacted residents and businesses. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed in both federal and state courts against GKN.

Steve Carlin, a GKN senior vice president, on Tuesday, June 9, appeared at a Garden Grove City Council meeting to apologize to residents on behalf of GKN, telling them, “I understand what a disruptive event it was, and how unsettling it is to the greater community.”

The company would hold a future town hall “or some sort of public event,” Carlin said. Last week, the company donated $3 million to the OC Community Resilience Fund, tied to Orange County United Way, that will provide qualifying residents with up to $500 to help recoup evacuation costs.

GKN, a United Kingdom-based company, is a worldwide leading manufacturer of cockpit windows, jet canopies and aviation windows for civil and military aircraft; it has had a facility in Garden Grove for decades.

The company previously paid a nearly $1 million settlement related to numerous environmental violations at the Garden Grove facility, which has a history of spills, leakages and violations that prompted, in 2023, city officials to order it to improve the “general housekeeping.”

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer previously announced that his office is investigating the failure of the chemical tank. There were also calls in the midst of the evacuations for a federal investigation, which now appears to be underway.