California's Toxic Ticking Time Bomb The unfolding crisis in Southern California has all the hallmarks of a worst case scenario: tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, hazmat teams are scrambling to contain a potentially catastrophic explosion, and officials are racing against time to come up with contingency plans.
At the center of this drama is a 7,000 gallon tank containing methyl methacrylate, a toxic chemical used in manufacturing resins and plastics.
The situation has reached a critical point, with firefighters working tirelessly to cool the tank down before it reaches the volatile temperature range of 90 100 degrees Fahrenheit.