US chemical tank disasters remain rare despite recent incidents, experts say

Tragedy in Washington and near-miss in California cast in sharp relief the risk of chemical spills and explosions

For several tense days last week, tens of thousands of southern California residents were left wondering whether a 7,000-gallon chemical storage tank would either explode or spill out into the streets.

The episode cast in sharp relief the risk of chemical spills and explosions that lurk behind every corner of modern life. The methyl methacrylate that recently left the city of Garden Grove teetering on the edge of disaster is just one of many toxic chemicals commonly found in American cities.