After a long, confusing holiday weekend of being evacuated due to concerns that a malfunctioning tank containing a flammable, volatile chemical could explode, families and businesses alerted late Monday evening they could return are now trying for a return to normal.
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A dozen Garden Grove Unified School District campuses had been in the evacuation zone established Friday, but Tuesday only three, Alamitos Intermediate, Lawrence Elementary and Wakeham Elementary, were still affected after authorities drew new evacuation maps more tightly surrounding the aerospace plant in West Garden Grove where crews are still trying to contain a smaller explosion or spill potential.
Helen Dam’walks he 6-year-old daughter, Taylor, left,back to school in Garden Grove on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, after an evacuation order forced school closures. The family, including younger daughter, Tegan, right, stayed with relatives in Huntington Beach. “It was very stressful, Helen Dam said. “I’m a working mom and I had to adjust quickly,” as she continued to juggle work and family.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
After dropping his second-grade daughter off at her Garden Grove elementary school on on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, Tony Arcos, was in a rush to take his younger daughter, Avery, pictured, to grandma’s house so he can continue on to work. Her preschool has still not reopened after the evacuation order. The potential chemical explosion at a nearby aerospace plant displaced more than 40,000 people, some of whom can return to their normal routines because the order has been lifted in areas.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jonathan Wighton walks his daughters, Alice, 7, left, and Kelly, 4, to elementary school in Garden Grove on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. As Alice raced into the schoolyard, Wighton said, the girls were excited to get back after an evacuation order from a potential chemical explosion. “They missed all the fun stuff they were supposed to do.” The family stayed with relatives several days and returned home late Monday. “Everything seems back to normal,” Wighton said. “Neighbors were active and lively, walking dogs and watering lawns.” (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Barker Elementary school opened back up in Garden Grove on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, after an evacuation order shut it down for a few days because of the threat of a chemical explosion at a nearby aerospace company. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
After dropping his older son off at elementary school, Tristan Dunker gets ready to take his 4-year-old son, Idris, to pre-school in Garden Grove on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. The family stayed with relatives during the threat of a nearby chemical explosion and subsequent evacuation order. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Helen Dam’s 6-year-old daughter, Taylor, is excited to go back to school in Garden Grove on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, after the threat of a chemical explosion forced an evacuation and subsequent school closure. The family, including younger daughter, Tegan, left, stayed with relatives in Huntington Beach. “It was very stressful, Helen Dam said. “I’m a working mom and I had to adjust quickly,” as she continued to juggle work and family.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
At Barkey Elementary School, now outside the evacuation zone, parents returned to business as usual — or at least tried to.
“Thank you so much for showing up today,” a woman’s voice rang over the loudspeaker Tuesday morning.
“It’s pretty awful,” said Jackie M., holding her toddler in one arm. “They told us to come back right after last night’s press conference. I wish they could have given us some time to recoup.”
The 34-year-old Garden Grove mother said her family evacuated Friday and received notice to return Monday night. “It was like, ‘OK, we gotta do this.’”
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Not everyone was as affected.
“He didn’t even know there was anything going on,” said Tri Truong, 41, referring to his 5-year-old son. The Garden Grove father said his family lives outside the evacuation zone and took advantage of the Memorial Day weekend.
Tiffany Silva, 38, who recently moved from Garden Grove to Huntington Beach shortly before the hazmat incident, described the disruption caused by evacuations and ongoing uncertainty surrounding schools and day-to-day logistics.
“Everyone’s just scrambling. The teachers didn’t even really get a heads-up,” Silva said.
Though she no longer lives directly in the affected neighborhood, many of her responsibilities and obligations remain tied to the area as she continues transitioning to her new home.
“Everything is still in the vicinity. I’m like, I can’t do any of it right now,” she said.
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