Washington (USA), May 25 (LaPresse) – The threat of an explosion of a chemical storage tank in Southern California has significantly decreased, although the danger has not been completely eliminated. This was stated this morning by officials from the Orange County Fire Authority, noting that a chemical explosion could still occur, but that the likelihood of a far more catastrophic vapor explosion has been ruled out. “We want to be clear: evacuation zones remain active. Please follow the instructions regarding those areas,” said TJ McGovern, head of the Orange County Fire Authority, according to CNN. Around 50,000 residents have received evacuation warnings within a potential blast-risk zone covering about 23 square kilometers around the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove. Emergency teams worked through the night to examine a crack in a chemical tank containing 26,500 liters of a substance known as MMA. Authorities said the crack could help relieve pressure and prevent an explosion capable of sending debris into homes located several kilometers away.