40,000 RESIDENTS EVACUATED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AS FAILING TANK HOLDING 34,000 GALLONS OF VOLATILE CHEMICAL THREATENS TO EXPLODE OR SPILL

Approximately 40,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate parts of Southern California after a storage tank containing 34,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate (MMA) — a volatile, highly flammable chemical used in the production of plastics and acrylics — began failing on Friday.

Fire officials warned that the tank will likely either spill or "blow up," and emergency crews are working to stabilise it. The situation remains active and developing.

A separate wildfire near Simi Valley — the Sandy Fire — has also been burning in the region, with some evacuation orders still in place. Fire crews had reached approximately 61 percent containment as of Friday.

Sources: Fox News, ABC7 Los Angeles