Tens of thousands of residents forced to evacuate their homes for days due to a faulty chemical tank in Garden Grove that was at risk of exploding till firefighters stabilized it over the Memorial Day weekend may be reimbursed or compensated.
Yet despite lots of promises from local officials, it’s unclear how or when.
Details on how impacted residents and thousands of businesses could get compensated still remain unclear with officials across the county saying they’re exploring options to provide relief.
Orange County Board of Supervisor Chair Doug Chaffee said he expects there will be a claim process where residents impacted by the evacuations can ask for reimbursement and compensation.
Chaffee did not know where the money would come from exactly but said GKN Aerospace, owners of the tank, would be asked to chip in.
“It’s a worldwide company, and they have responsibilities, so they’re going to have to kick in quite a few bucks themselves so that pot hasn’t been determined, nor has the process,” he said in a Tuesday interview.
“You need to save your receipts and make a list of all the things that you think you should be compensated for,” was Chaffee’s advice for affected residents.
GKN Aerospace leaders did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday on whether they would compensate impacted businesses and residents and instead pointed to a statement on their website apologizing for the disruption.
“We apologize for the disruption this incident has caused and as we turn to the immediate relief and recovery effort, we will continue to work with local officials, community partners and non-profit organisations to support affected residents, businesses and the wider community,” reads the statement.
At Congressman Derek Tran’s event at Cal State Fullerton, impacted residents got an opportunity to connect with a host of injury attorneys in attendance and ask questions about the crisis.
Tran said he is working to get federal resources for business owners and residents and hopes the company will compensate people.
“I’ve called on the company for full accountability in their actions. The CEO assured me that once all of our residents’ safety concerns are taken care of, that they’re going to answer to all of this,” he said in an interview.
“From a federal standpoint, and from a California response standpoint, I think it’s all of us working together to make sure that if there are any resources for our small businesses, that it’s going to be available for them, and of course, our residents.”
Tran also said there should be a state and federal investigation into how GKN allowed this to happen and there has to be accountability, adding that he invited company leaders to join the event but they declined.
“You all deserve answers for how this will happen. Accountability matters once the immediate crisis is stabilized,” he said during the Q&A.
“I’ve already spoken directly with GKN Aerospace leadership earlier today and a few days ago, and I made clear to them that they must take full responsibility for the disruption and fear that this incident has caused our community.”
Will Cities Compensate Residents?
Stanton Mayor David Shawver said city officials are also working with the federal, state, and county government to provide compensation for impacted businesses and to help impacted residents pay for rent, buy food and potentially get reimbursed for hotel costs.
“Some of my larger businesses are talking millions of dollars in loss,” he said in a Tuesday phone interview, adding he didn’t know how big the fund would be or how much residents would get.
“I do know that a lot of my residents don’t have the money to pay for their rent, and they don’t have money to pay for food, so those are our high priorities.”
He said that all 3,000 businesses in the city closed due to the tank and that the fund would be announced in the near future.
It’s not just Stanton.
The malfunctioning tank led residents across parts of Garden Grove, Anaheim, Westminster, Buena Park, Cypress and almost all of Stanton to flee the area ahead of Memorial Day weekend with most allowed to return home Monday.
Officials lifted all remaining evacuation zones on Tuesday evening.
[Read: Evacuations End in Garden Grove Chemical Tank Emergency]
On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in a news release President Donald Trump approved the state’s request for a Presidential Emergency Declaration – a move that federal legislators say can open up resources and assistance for residents.
[Read: Garden Grove Chemical Tank Evacuations Partially Lifted, 16K Still Evacuated]
Jonathan Garcia, a Garden Grove city spokesman, said it was too early to tell if residents would get relief.
“I don’t think we know the answers to that exactly right now. I think that’s all to come. Right now we’re most focused on bringing everyone back home, but that information will definitely be shared on our website as soon as we have it available,” he said in a Tuesday phone interview.
On the city’s emergency webpage, officials are encouraging residents and business owners to reach out to their insurance companies for relief.
“Those evacuated are encouraged to contact their homeowner’s or renters’ insurance companies. Businesses should also contact their insurance providers,” reads the webpage.
Anaheim Spokesman Mike Lyster said they are exploring possible resources to help aid business owners and residents impacted by the emergency.
“Now that a high-level of risk is behind all of us, we continue that effort. We look forward to sharing any details as they come available,” he wrote in a Monday morning email.
Lyster said over 6,100 people were evacuated from West Anaheim and there are about 150 businesses in the former evacuation zone.
Cypress Mayor Leo Medrano refused to take a reporter’s questions at Tran’s event, directing questions to City Manager Shannon DeLong and him through email.
Previous attempts earlier on Tuesday to get in contact with both Medrano and DeLong went unreturned.
Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut, who is running for county supervisor, and City Manager Aaron France did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
Westminster Mayor Charlie Chi Nguyen said officials haven’t talked about reimbursements yet he noted that city council members are meeting Wednesday would probably discuss it.
Officials there will hold a special meeting at 3 p.m. Wednesday to declare a local emergency over the tank and look to get state and federal assistance to reimburse the city.
Nguyen also said GKN should help compensate residents.
“They created this,” he said. “We might consider that too.”
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org.