New Delhi, May 25 -- Authorities scrambled to find a safe resolution as a damaged tank at a Southern California aerospace facility containing a hazardous chemical used to make plastic parts prompted an evacuation order affecting thousands of residents.

The storage tank at GKN Aerospace with about 6,000 to 7,000 gallons (22,713 to 26,498 liters) of methyl methacrylate overheated last week and began leaking vapors into the air around Garden Grove, a city in Orange County. Officials said over the weekend the tank could leak all the chemical or even explode if it overheats.

No injuries have been reported, but more than 50,000 residents were under an evacuation order over the Memorial Day weekend. Firefighters sprayed the tank with water in ...