The incident occurred at an aerospace facility in Garden Grove, southeast of Los Angeles, where a storage tank holding about 7,000 gallons (26,000 liters) of methyl methacrylate developed a leak. Emergency officials warned that the situation posed significant risks to nearby communities due to the chemical’s flammable nature and the possibility of a thermal runaway reaction.

Incident Commander Craig Covey said emergency planners were preparing for two primary scenarios: a complete tank failure resulting in a large chemical spill or an explosion that could affect neighboring tanks containing fuel and other hazardous materials.

“We are setting up these evacuations in preparation for these two options,” Covey said, describing the threat as serious and requiring immediate precautionary measures.

Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra said approximately 40,000 people were covered by the evacuation order, although several thousand residents chose to remain in their homes despite warnings from authorities.

Emergency crews continuously sprayed water on the tank in an effort to reduce its temperature and stabilize conditions. Later on Friday, Covey reported that cooling operations had succeeded in lowering the tank’s temperature to about 61 degrees, closer to what officials described as a safe operating range.

Authorities continued searching for alternatives that could further reduce the risk of either a major spill or an explosion.

Orange County Health Officer Regina Chinsio Kwong said the evacuation zone was established to protect residents from potential exposure to hazardous vapors in the event of a catastrophic failure.

She urged the public to report any detection of a strong fruity odor associated with methyl methacrylate, while noting that the smell alone did not necessarily indicate harmful exposure levels.

No injuries had been reported as of Friday evening, and officials had not determined the cause of the leak, which was first identified on Thursday.

Emergency responders were also preparing containment measures to prevent any released chemical from entering storm drains, waterways or channels that flow into the Pacific Ocean.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, methyl methacrylate can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system. Acute or prolonged exposure may also result in respiratory and neurological effects.

The legal dispute surrounding the former Los Angeles home of Marilyn Monroe has evolved into a broader confrontation over historic preservation policy, private property rights and the financial burden associated with maintaining culturally significant real estate in one of the United States’ most expensive housing markets.

At the center of the case is the Brentwood property where Monroe spent the final months of her life before dying from a drug overdose in August 1962 at the age of 36. The Spanish hacienda-style house, purchased by Monroe in February 1962, was the only residence she fully owned during her lifetime, according to preservation advocates and historians involved in efforts to protect the property from demolition.

The house, located in the affluent Brentwood neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles, became the subject of an escalating legal and political conflict after current owners Brinah Milstein and her husband Roy Bank sought to demolish it following their $8.35 million purchase of the property in 2023.Milstein, described in court filings as a real estate heiress, and Bank, a television producer, had intended to incorporate the land into their adjacent estate, where they have lived for roughly a decade. According to legal filings, the couple viewed the structure as deteriorated, unoccupied and lacking practical value after years without residents or substantial maintenance.

The conflict intensified after city authorities initially approved a demolition permit. News of the permit prompted a campaign by preservationists, local officials and Monroe supporters seeking to designate the residence as a historic landmark. That campaign culminated in 2024 when Los Angeles formally classified the property as a cultural-historical monument, effectively blocking demolition plans.The designation placed the property under preservation oversight by city authorities, limiting the owners’ ability to significantly alter or remove the structure.

The homeowners subsequently filed lawsuits arguing that the designation had deprived them of the practical use and economic value of the property.In court arguments, the homeowners’ attorney David Breemer said the couple had effectively been compelled to preserve a public monument at private expense.

According to court filings, the plaintiffs argued that the city’s actions amounted to an unconstitutional interference with private property rights.A federal judge this week dismissed the claim that the city had improperly taken control of the property, although the ruling allowed the homeowners an opportunity to amend their complaint and present revised arguments.

Parallel efforts to overturn the preservation designation in state court have so far failed to gain significant momentum.The case has attracted attention among preservation experts because of the unusual sequence of events surrounding the property’s designation. Historic homes are typically sold with preservation protections already in place, allowing buyers to factor restrictions into purchasing decisions.

In this instance, however, the designation occurred after the sale and after demolition plans had already advanced through portions of the approval process.Pete Brown, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles city council office involved in the preservation effort, acknowledged the unusual nature of the dispute. “The intent of the statutes is that all parties are willing participants,” Brown said. “But that’s not what we have in this case.”

Preservation advocates argue the home carries cultural and symbolic significance that extends beyond its architecture. Monroe purchased the property during a period marked by personal and professional transition following the collapse of her marriage to playwright Arthur Miller and a temporary withdrawal from acting because of health issues.

Historians and preservation groups have described the purchase as an example of Monroe asserting financial and personal independence during an era when single women rarely owned high-value residential property. Adrian Scott Fine, president and chief executive of the nonprofit LA Conservancy, said the property represented an important chapter in Monroe’s efforts to establish independence from both the studio system and the powerful men who shaped much of her career.

“She talked about this house and was photographed in this house,” Fine said. “It was where she was embarking on a new chapter of her independence.”Despite those arguments, the condition of the property has emerged as a central issue in the dispute. The house has reportedly remained unoccupied since 2019 and has undergone no significant restoration work during the ongoing legal proceedings.

Court filings and photographs cited by both sides indicate sections of the roof are exposed, plumbing and heating systems are malfunctioning, and leaks and potential mold damage have developed throughout portions of the structure. City officials acknowledged that preservation staff have not inspected the property since 2023, creating uncertainty over whether historically significant interior elements remain intact.

The homeowners argue many original features associated with Monroe have already disappeared following decades of renovations carried out by previous owners. They contend that Mexican tiles and other decorative elements linked to Monroe’s occupancy are no longer present.

Preservation advocates fear the property could effectively undergo “demolition through neglect,” a process in which deterioration gradually destroys historic value even when formal demolition is prohibited. The concern highlights a recurring challenge in preservation law: landmark designation can restrict demolition but does not always guarantee adequate maintenance or restoration.

The case has also generated tension within the surrounding Brentwood community. Because the home cannot be viewed clearly from public streets and remains inaccessible to visitors, some nearby residents have questioned the broader public value of preserving the property.

Local complaints submitted to city officials cite increased congestion from celebrity tour buses and visitors attempting to glimpse the house from nearby streets. According to filings referenced by city officials, some individuals have attempted to climb walls surrounding the property, raising security and safety concerns for both homeowners and neighbors.

City planning authorities maintain they possess enforcement tools if the house deteriorates to the point of becoming hazardous or substandard. Under municipal authority, Los Angeles officials could order emergency stabilization or repairs while requiring homeowners to bear much of the associated cost.

Breemer said his clients were prepared to challenge or incorporate any such enforcement actions into broader settlement negotiations with the city. He declined to specify what resolution the homeowners might ultimately seek beyond compensation for the diminished value of the property.“Selling is not really an option,” Breemer said. “And they don’t want to be landlords.”

The dispute has exposed broader limitations within Los Angeles’ preservation system. City officials acknowledged there is no dedicated municipal funding source capable of purchasing or rehabilitating large numbers of historic properties facing financial or legal distress.

According to the city planning office, Los Angeles oversees more than 1,300 designated historic-cultural monument properties.Traci Park, whose district includes the Monroe property, previously described the home as one of the city’s most iconic cultural sites. However, city representatives have indicated there is currently no formal plan for resolving the property’s future while litigation remains ongoing.

Brown summarized the situation succinctly: “It’s a quandary.”

The suspect, identified as Shamim Mafi, is accused of brokering deals involving drones, bombs, bomb fuses and large quantities of ammunition between Iranian entities and the Sudanese Armed Forces, according to statements by U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli.

Mafi, an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016, was taken into custody on Saturday night and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday. Authorities said it was not immediately clear whether she had secured legal representation.

A criminal complaint filed on March 12 alleges that Mafi and an unnamed associate operated a company based in Oman, Atlas International Business, which prosecutors say was used to channel arms transactions. The firm reportedly received more than $7 million in payments in 2025 linked to these activities.

Court documents also allege that Mafi helped arrange the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan’s Ministry of Defense and submitted a letter of intent to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to procure the materials.If convicted, Mafi could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The case comes amid Sudan’s protracted civil war, now in its fourth year, which has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis marked by widespread displacement and acute shortages of food and basic supplies.

Singer-songwriter Angelo De Augustine has described a prolonged and debilitating illness that disrupted his career at a critical moment of rising recognition, forcing him into years of recovery and prompting a reassessment of both his creative process and personal priorities.

De Augustine said the episode began on Halloween in 2022 at his home in Los Angeles, when he experienced acute neurological symptoms before collapsing. Family members transported him to hospital, where he underwent several days of testing.

Despite extensive evaluation, doctors were unable to establish a definitive diagnosis and discharged him with instructions to return if symptoms worsened significantly.“I was conscious most of the time,” he said, noting that he experienced impaired hearing, limited vision and loss of motor control. He added that he retained only partial memory of the episode.

Following his discharge, De Augustine remained physically incapacitated and uncertain about his prognosis. During this period, he focused on completing Toil and Trouble, an album he had been working on for approximately a year prior to the incident.

He said the decision was driven by both professional commitment and concern about his health outlook. “I didn’t think I would survive the illness,” he said, adding that he was unable to perform routine physical tasks while finishing the project.The album was released in 2023, adding to a catalogue that had been gaining attention in recent years.

After his debut Spirals of Silence in 2014, De Augustine signed to Asthmatic Kitty for his 2017 album Swim Inside the Moon. He later collaborated with Sufjan Stevens on the 2021 album A Beginner’s Mind. His 2019 track Time, from the album Tomb, gained wider exposure after being featured in the 2023 film A Good Person, becoming his most streamed song.

However, De Augustine said he was unable to engage with the increased attention due to his health condition.In the years following the illness, he underwent a gradual rehabilitation process that included relearning basic functions such as walking, speaking, hearing and performing music.

He described recovery as uneven, characterised by incremental improvement interspersed with setbacks. He temporarily returned to live with his mother due to his inability to manage daily activities independently.

De Augustine said emerging scientific discussions around the central nervous system may offer some explanation for his condition, although he emphasised that no formal diagnosis has been confirmed. He referred to the concept of allostatic load, describing it as the cumulative burden of chronic stress on the body’s regulatory systems.

According to his account, prolonged stress may have contributed to a breakdown in normal neurological functioning, leading to widespread physical symptoms. He identified the pressures associated with sustaining a career in the music industry as a potential contributing factor.

During recovery, he introduced structured physical and mental exercises into his routine and reported gradual improvement. He also identified therapeutic benefits from water-based activity, noting that symptoms temporarily subsided while he was in a pool, which he interpreted as an indication of stress-related triggers.

The experience has informed his subsequent album, Angel in Plainclothes, which incorporates themes of physical vulnerability and altered perception. De Augustine said several tracks reflect on the loss and gradual return of sensory and cognitive functions. He described one of the lead songs as capturing a sense of detachment from reality, comparing it to observing life without feeling fully present.

Due to physical limitations, De Augustine departed from his earlier approach of independently recording and producing his music. Instead, he collaborated with other musicians and producers, including Thomas Bartlett, who contributed piano arrangements, and Jonathan Wilson, who provided studio space and instrumentation.

His mother, a professional vocalist, also contributed to the recording process.He said the album’s sound was shaped in part by the use of a range of unconventional and antique instruments, reflecting an ongoing interest in exploring varied tonal textures. Recording sessions were conducted intermittently, depending on his physical condition at the time.

De Augustine resumed live performances in 2025 after a five-year hiatus, describing the experience as a controlled reintroduction to public performance. He said the return involved measured steps rather than a full-scale resumption of touring, citing ongoing health considerations.Reflecting on the period, De Augustine said the illness led him to reconsider his earlier approach to music and work.

He indicated that a singular focus on songwriting may have contributed to prolonged stress, and said his current priority is maintaining a more balanced lifestyle while continuing creative work.

He described his present condition as a combination of partial recovery and adaptation, noting that he does not yet consider himself fully restored to his previous state.

Los Angeles, the second most populous U.S. city, is home to an Iranian community of nearly 138,000 people, of the 400,000-620,000 people of Iranian ancestry in the United States, according to the University of California, Los Angeles.

The intersection of Westwood Boulevard and Rochester Avenue- in an area home to Persian businesses- will be renamed Women Life Freedom Square in Amini’s memory, according to a record of the City Council vote on its website.

The months-long anti-government protests that followed Amini’s death spiraled into the biggest show of opposition to Iran’s authorities in years.

The United States and Iran have clashed on human rights, Tehran’s nuclear program and its support for regional Shi’ite militias, but a deal announced on Monday allowing five Iranian Americans to leave Iran removes a major irritant.