Jill Replogle

For several days over Memorial Day weekend, firefighters warned that a tank holding several thousand gallons of a toxic chemical known as MMA was

was in danger of exploding, with a potential blast zone that included surrounding neighborhoods.

The chemical eventually stabilized.

Here's First Assistant U.S.

Attorney Bill Assele.

He says the EPA and other federal agencies are looking into whether the company, GKN Aerospace, failed to take precautions to prevent the scare.

For NPR News, I'm Jill Replogle in Garden Grove.

For several days over Memorial Day weekend, firefighters warned that a tank holding several thousand gallons of a toxic chemical known as MMA was in danger of exploding, with a potential blast zone that included surrounding neighborhoods.

The chemical eventually stabilized.

Here's First Assistant U.S.

Attorney Bill Assele.

He says the EPA and other federal agencies are looking into whether the company, GKN Aerospace, failed to take precautions to prevent the scare.

For NPR News, I'm Jill Replogle in Garden Grove.

As the search continues for any workers still trapped.

Robots which can detect toxic gases have been sent into parts of the Liu Xingyu coal mine.

According to state media reports, these robots can send real-time video, use infrared thermal imagery, and have an element of explosion-proof protection.

Apart from halting work here, Tongzhou Group, the company operating this mine, has been ordered to suspend production at three other coal mines.

Officials say they've been reaching out to experts around the country to try to figure out how to safely depressurize a tank full of a toxic and highly flammable compound known as MMA used in manufacturing plastics.

First responders have been able to keep the tank from cracking or exploding thus far by spraying water on the tank to keep the temperature down.

but progress has fluctuated since the crisis started Thursday afternoon.