Demands for GKN Aerospace leaders to reimburse residents for their faulty chemical tank that nearly exploded in May and forced about 50,000 residents to evacuate their homes are increasing in Orange County after a $3 million relief fund quickly closed.

Westminster officials are demanding compensation and accountability from GKN Aerospace leaders for the tank while OC Supervisor Janet Nguyen is allocating $500,000 of discretionary funds to support impacted residents – money she expects GKN to reimburse.

Last week, Nguyen successfully allocated half a million dollars to Garden Grove officials to be used to support residents who evacuated ahead of Memorial Day due to the tank. 

“I want to make sure that it’s publicly known that I, too, also want to make sure that GKN fully reimburses and makes everybody whole,” she said at the June 23 Supervisor meeting.

Nguyen isn’t the only one calling on company leaders to reimburse evacuated residents more than a month since the incident. 

One day after the supervisors meeting, Westminster city council members voted unanimously to direct staff to write up a letter demanding compensation and accountability from GKN at the request of Councilwoman Amy Phan West.

“It is important that those responsible are held accountable,” said Phan West at the June 24 city council meeting, calling on company leaders to take responsibility for the incident.

Councilman Mark Nguyen said company leaders weren’t going to admit fault amid a sting of lawsuits against GKN.

According to a Westminster staff report, 13,000 residents were forced to evacuate and over 400 business licenses were active in the evacuation zone. 

GKN leaders did not respond to emailed questions on the issue Tuesday. 

A FAQ posted on their website regarding compensation points out they gave $3 million to the nonprofit United Way for a relief fund for impacted residents and a million dollars to the American Red Cross.

“GKN is also committing an additional $1 million to support broader community initiatives across Orange County,” reads the webpage.

The increase in demands for compensation comes after United Way leaders announced last month impacted residents could no longer apply for reimbursement dollars from the evacuation fund kickstarted by GKN amid an influx of applications. 

[Read: Chemical Tank Evacuation Relief Fund Closes Amid Too Many Applications]

Nguyen said the $500,000 allocation to Garden Grove is intended to help residents who weren’t able to access the $3 million assistance fund get immediate financial support and city leaders would work with United Way to ensure aid payments aren’t duplicated.

“The last funding that was given to United Way, the $3 million went within a week or so, and so I think this would assist and help those individuals who were not able to access those funding to get the funding immediately,” she said at the June 23 Supervisor meeting. 

According to a Westminster staff report, the United Way Fund has been exhausted.

In an emailed statement, United Way officials said 1,400 applicants received electronic gift cards so far and more than 6,000 people have applied for assistance.

“Due to the volume of applications received, and funding available, we are no longer accepting new applications. Our focus is on reviewing the applications already received, confirming eligibility, and collecting required documentation so electronic gift cards can be distributed as quickly as possible,” reads the Wednesday statement.

Westminster Councilman Carlos Manzo said GKN leaders need to provide compensation to residents.

“For them not to provide that reimbursement, that’s a crime in itself,” Manzo said at last week’s council meeting.

Westminster leaders are not the first to write to the aerospace company.

In June, Garden Grove leaders wrote a letter to GKN demanding accountability and asking a representative to attend a city council meeting.

Steve Carlin, senior vice president of GKN Aerospace, showed up to the next city council meeting dodging questions about reimbursement and promising to hold a community town hall to speak directly with impacted residents.

The town hall has yet to take place.

Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org.