Aug 24 (Reuters) – A district attorney in California said on Monday his office has concluded a criminal probe into a GKN Aerospace factory and announced a claims program of up to $100 million for more than 50,000 nearby residents who left their homes in May due to a chemical incident at the plant.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement it is negotiating a safety plan and independent monitoring for the Melrose Industries factory in Garden Grove which produces aircraft windows.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer also supports a September 28 target for resuming full manufacturing at the plant, assuming it meets conditions like a court-approved safety plan. The U.S. federal government had also launched an investigation while California’s Occupational Safety and Health division has inspected the factory.
GKN Aerospace halted production in late May at the suburban Los Angeles plant after an overheating tank raised fears of an explosion and prompted the evacuation of 50,000 nearby residents for several days.
The factory is a supplier of cockpit and passenger windows for planes, including Boeing and Airbus jet models.
Reuters reported earlier this month that the incident worsened existing shortages and led planemakers, airlines and repair shops to conserve aircraft windows.
(Reporting By Allison Lampert; Editing by Chris Reese and Franklin Paul)
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