Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of ORange
Class Action Complaint
Case: 30-2026-01577571-CU-MT-CXC
An emergency chemical spill incident at a facility owned by GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems Inc. (GKN) affecting thousands of residents in Orange County, California, has brought forward complaints of nuisance, negligence and strict liability.
Background
In May 2026, the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) and Garden Grove Police Department reported to GKN in response to hazardous materials calls it had received regarding a 34,000-gallon tank overheating. The tank contained methyl methacrylate (MMA), a highly flammable and toxic. The tank released vapors through the top and the sprinkler system was activated to start the cooling process. Evacuation orders were issued for residents in the immediate vicinity as a precaution. Those orders were lifted later that evening.
OCFA’s investigation confirmed that a valve failed or malfunctioned, preventing complete mitigation of the crisis. The following morning, OCFA concluded overnight mitigations had failed, and reissued a mandatory evacuation order to due changing conditions. They continued to investigate and eventually concluded two possible outcomes: that the tank fails and spills 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of chemicals into the parking lot, or that the tank goes into a thermal runway and blows up. The Deputy Fire Chief stated that it was the most significantly dangerous event he had been a part of in 32 years.
Orange County officials expanded the mandatory evacuation zone to 10 square miles across six cities, ordering 40,000 to 50,000 residents to evacuate. California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Orange County in connection with this chemical crisis. Evacuation orders remained in effect for more than 48 hours. Many community events were canceled.
The Orange County Chief Health Officer issued a warning that very high levels of MMA exposure can cause severe respiratory distress and hospitalizations, in addition to skin and eye irritation, while noting that long-term consequences are not known.
California’s environmental safety prohibits discharge of air contaminants or other materials that cause injury, detriment, nuisance, or annoyance to any considerable number of persons or to the public, or that endanger the comfort, repose, health, or safety of any of those persons or the public, or that cause, or have a natural tendency to cause, injury or damage to business or property.
Further, California’s Health and Safety Code establish strict liability for generators of hazardous wastes for injuries caused by exposure to those wastes, providing a statutory basis for claims arising from chemical releases.
The believed cause of the incident was a failure in the tank’s recirculating refrigeration system; a valve froze and stopped functioning. Without cooling, the MMA began to polymerize and cure into a solid state, generating its own heat, expand and off-gas hazardous vapors. Emergency personnel, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) responded. GKN has publicly accepted responsibility for the failure.
This class action is being sought for the following relief:
- That GKN created a nuisance, including its handling and storage of MMA, that has caused actionable injury and damage
- That GKN’s operation amounts to strict liability, has been negligent, grossly negligent, and has caused injury and damage
- That GKN should to reimburse plaintiffs and class members for all damage to their real and personal property attributable to its actions and for their loss of quiet enjoyment of property and associated emotional and mental distress, and lost profits.
Bryson attorney: Dan Bryson, Trenton Kashima