Representative Derek Tran Demands Full Accountability from GKN Aerospace for Hazmat Disaster

Garden Grove, CA - Today, Representative Derek Tran (CA-45) spoke again with the leadership of GKN Aerospace. The Congressman reiterated how GKN Aerospace must take full accountability for the chaos and disruption experienced by over 50,000 residents and 5,000 small businesses impacted by the hazmat crisis at their Garden Grove plant.

Representative Tran issued a statement following the call:

"I just spoke with GKN Aerospace leadership and, once again, urged the company to take full responsibility for the hazmat crisis at their Garden Grove plant. GKN Aerospace informed me that they are establishing a fund through Orange County United Way to provide relief to those with the greatest financial need. While this decision is a necessary acknowledgment that they have broken faith with our community, it is insufficient. Every family and small business that was displaced or shut down during this crisis deserves full compensation. I expressed that this is non-negotiable.

"Furthermore, a full investigation must be done to ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again. Residents need to know what is happening in their own backyards, and they need to know that it's being done safely. I reiterated to GKN leadership the importance of answering directly to the community to make impacted families and small businesses whole and ensure this near-catastrophe never happens again.

"This week, I will be advancing legislation to require defense contractors like GKN Aerospace to properly notify the community they operate in of any hazardous chemicals that may put residents at risk. I urge bipartisan support for this measure to ensure communities across the United States are safe from hazmat incidents."

On Thursday, May 21, the Orange County Fire Authority reported a leak of methyl methacrylate, a volatile and flammable chemical, from a 34,000-gallon storage tank at the GKN Aerospace plant in Garden Grove. The risk of a toxic leak or catastrophic explosion prompted over 50,000 evacuations across Garden Grove, Westminster, Buena Park, Cypress, Anaheim, and Stanton. At Representative Tran's urging, in partnership with Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on May 23, and, on May 25, President Trump signed the request for a Federal Emergency Declaration submitted by the State of California.

On Tuesday, May 26, Tran welcomed affected families from across Orange County to a community meeting to answer questions about the disaster and provide resources to address the burdens families endured because of the Western Incident. Now that the immediate threat has cleared, Representative Tran will continue monitoring all possible accountability measures to ensure that residents are made whole and an incident like this never happens again.

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