Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C., together with co-counsel DiCello Levitt LLP and Collins Law Group, has filed a proposed class action lawsuit on behalf of residents and property owners impacted by the May 2026 chemical emergency at GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems’ facility in Garden Grove, California.

The lawsuit alleges that GKN Aerospace’s failure to safely maintain and manage storage tanks containing methyl methacrylate (“MMA”), a highly volatile and hazardous industrial chemical, resulted in a dangerous emergency that forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents across Orange County.

According to the complaint, emergency responders were called to the facility on May 21, 2026, after a large storage tank containing MMA began overheating and leaking. Public officials subsequently issued evacuation orders affecting portions of Garden Grove, Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park, and Westminster amid concerns that the tank could rupture or explode. Schools closed, roads were shut down, and families were displaced from their homes for days.

The proposed class action seeks to recover damages for residents and property owners who suffered losses related to the evacuation and disruption, including relocation expenses, loss of use and enjoyment of property, business interruption, and other economic harms. The complaint further alleges that GKN had a history of environmental and safety violations and failed to take adequate precautions to prevent the incident.

The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, on behalf of individuals residing within the evacuation zone established by public officials following the incident.

The case is Carey, et al. v. GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, Inc., and the complaint can be downloaded here.

The Miner, Barnhill & Galland team includes Robert Libman, Deanna Pihos, Roisin Duffy-Gideon, Bernardo Lopez, and Allie Lee.