Orange County Evacuees Return Amid Stabilizing Chemical Crisis

Officials say the vast majority of the roughly 50,000 people evacuated after a damaged chemical storage tank in Garden Grove began returning home as conditions in the area stabilize: no contamination, fumes, or leaks detected; temperatures at the tank have fallen to about 50 degrees from a peak near 100, and runoff is being monitored. About 16,000 residents remain evacuated within a defined zone around Orangewood Avenue, Dale Street, Knott Street and Garden Grove Boulevard, as authorities continue to cool the tank and watch for possible hazards; the risk of a catastrophic explosion has diminished, but the area near the plant remains under evacuation and residents are urged to wait for official clearance before returning.