All the while, officials at those facilities have defended the chemicals use as safe. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates Thick smoke rose from a mangled, multiple-story portion of the Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery, located south of the 405 Freeway, after the 8:50 a.m. blast. The refineries are required to provide quarterly updates to the agency.. Fill out the form below for a free case review with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. If that was the case, we wouldnt have seen another explosion today, she added. But HF is highly corrosive, posing a threat to nearby communities if it were dispersed as a gas during a fire, explosion or the like. The explosion was so severe that it caused residents in the area to experience a shock similar to the effects of a 1.7 magnitude earthquake. Alex Wigglesworth is an environment reporter who covers wildfires for the Los Angeles Times. Notably absent from the event was any sign of Torrance elected officials, although police officers in several patrol cars discreetly kept their eye on the peaceful protesters from a distance. Economic factors, such as job creation and the regional and global importance of oil, further complicate the issue, at least for elected officials. If you or a loved one were injured or burned in a plant or refinery fire, contact ourplant and refinery accident attorneysfor a free consultation at 1-888-603-3636 or by Clicking Here. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. A buildup of natural gas caused the explosion that leveled a Torrance home, damaged scores of others and rained glass, stucco and other debris over a two-block area, investigators said. Of the injured, two were said to have sustained significant injuries. The AQMD scrapped the potential ban in 2019 instead accepting proffers from both refineries that promised to make safety enhancements to their existing MHF units. The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. Refinery spokeswoman Betsy Brien said the fire was quickly extinguished and the Del Amo Boulevard barriers were activated to close the road under an abundance of caution.. The governors office confirmed they received the request, but declined further comment. And so, the battle over MHFs future appears set to linger on with the Board of Supervisors call for a ban the latest volley. Had the tank ruptured, it would have caused a release of MHF, which is highly toxic. They claim nothing has been done, she added, without any proof, other than their beliefs, which are incorrect and misleading.. There were also questions asking why the emergency refinery sirens did not sound following the accident. Those improvements were completed in 2021 and are now in service, Lafayette said. Environmentalists and concerned residents say MHF could prove catastrophic if the chemical were to escape, pointing to its corrosivity and studies that show its ability to travel beyond a refinerys footprint. Really? read one of the signs carried by chanting marchers who endured a steady downpour to protest the use of toxic hydrofluoric acid at the refinery. The CSB is an independent, non-regulatory federal agency charged with investigating serious chemical incidents. Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released its final report into the February 18, 2015, explosion at the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance, California. Three were treated and released. Fire crews knocked down the blaze within 30 minutes. The fire was reported to the South Coast Air Quality Management District and California Office of Emergency Services, police said. By Nichola Groom TORRANCE, Calif. (Reuters) - An explosion and fire ripped through a gasoline processing unit at an Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance, California, near Los Angeles on Wednesday, slightly injuring four workers and shattering windows of surrounding buildings, authorities said. Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year. Gavin Newsom to call for an investigation into the use of modified hydrofluoric acid at the facility, now operated by Torrance Refining Co., as well as by Valeros Wilmington refinery. "Our main concern is for the safety of our employees and our neighbors.". I wish the Torrance City Council had the courage to say that.. The modified HF catalyst reduces acid vapor pressure sufficiently to suppress the usual flash atomization process of hydrofluoric acid, that environmental impact report said, causing most of the acid to fall to the ground as an easily controlled liquid and reduces the potential for off-site consequences of an accidental HF release.. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene, ICE detainees allege retaliation for speaking about medical conditions at Otay Mesa center, Downtown L.A stabbing sends six to hospital; suspect arrested, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Los Angeles is suddenly awash in waterfalls. The explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. But at least for now, environmentalists and the refineries remain entrenched in their positions. There was a "large fire explosion" at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery in Southern California on Wednesday morning, according to the Torrance Police Department. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California. Those safety advances, however, have come since the 2015 explosion and a harsh assessment by federal investigators. The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. Some said they heard one of the workers may have turned on the gas inside one of the apartments before it was completely ready. Explosion at Torrance refinery - Los Angeles Times SUBSCRIBE Copyright 2022, Los Angeles Times | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | CA Notice of Collection | Do Not Sell My Personal. Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. A blast was reported at the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance, California. On Saturday, the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance announced a campaign urging Gov. TORRANCE TODAY - FEBRUARY 16, 2023 - City of Torrance TorranceCitiCABLE 4.15K subscribers 113 views 1 day ago #184 1. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . A five-story processing unit had burst open, spewing industrial ash over a mile away that some mistook for snow and propelling a 40-ton hunk of equipment into the air. Still, the explosion led to further safety measures, some the refineries put in voluntarily and others they did so essentially at the behest of government agencies. Activists carried signs reading Congratulations PBF, zero days explosion free and All lives matter while chanting Hey, hey, ho, ho, MHF has got to go. Some said the turnout demonstrates the series of refinery disruptions has reached a crisis point. Let's get out of here. The latest salvo in the battle over MHF came last month, when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors called for a ban on the highly toxic chemical. There was no sign of an announced safety rally at the refinery PBF had planned to hold for workers as a counterpoint to the demonstration so they could reflect upon the (2015) incident.. There was also minor damage to two adjoining apartments, according to Millea. The explosion on Feb. 18, 2015, was described by federal regulators as a serious near miss.. U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu said in a statement Saturday that he plans to ask the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to include Saturdays incident as part of an ongoing investigation into the problems at the trouble-plagued refinery that began two years ago. That, the report said, would prevent the chemical from dispersing as widely as it would as an aerosol. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the explosion, wh. ET), but there was no . (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . proporcionarte nuestros sitios y aplicaciones; autenticar usuarios, aplicar medidas de seguridad y evitar el spam y los abusos, y. medir el uso que haces de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. The AQMD estimated that replacing the MHF alkylation units with a safer sulfuric acid unit would cost the Torrance refinery about $900 million, and could temporarily impact gasoline supply and cost. This is a breaking news story. An ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance injured two, caused a 1.7 magnitude shake and portends pain at the pumps. We are very proud of the many technical advances we have added to our Alkylation Unit over the years, the refinery says on its website, which is additional proof of our continuing commitment to safe, reliable operations.. That failure ultimately allowed hydrocarbons to flow into the air side of the FCC, where they ignited in a piece of equipment called the electrostatic precipitator, or ESP, causing an explosion of the ESP. Thick smoke rose from a mangled, multiple-story portion of the Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery, located south of the 405 Freeway, after the 8:50 a.m. blast. There have also been multiple safety enhancements to prevent leaks, they say. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. "Emergency procedures have been activated to address the incident, and employees are working with the appropriate agencies," a statement by the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery said. Another fire? TORRANCE TODAY is a 15-minute live news broadcast airing Monday. After protests and intensified public pressure from such activists as the Heises mounted in 2017, the AQMDs Proposed Rule 1410 became a key focus of the agencys Governing Board. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but it was believed to be caused by over pressurization in the plants electrostatic precipitators. All communications are private and confidential. The blast caused serious property damage to the refinery and scattered catalyst dust up to a mile away from the facility into the nearby community. Inside the refinery, the explosion blew off parts of an electrostatic precipitator and damaged other equipment at the plant. TORRANCE, Calif. (KABC) -- The Torrance Police Department issued an alert for the city, notifying them that the Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery had an explosion and fire early Saturday. Zehl & Associates is always looking for smart, hardworking and talented personal injury attorneys and staff to join our team. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. God may not warn us again.. We knew we were moving in next to a refinery it was here before we were, Cliff Heise said in an interview. ExxonMobil said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon that "no harmful emissions have been detected.". Steve Deuel said. Torrance firefighters responded to the 23500 block of Anza Avenue just before 1:20 p.m. Sunday. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Best coffee city in the world? The battle over a highly toxic chemical used in oil refining recently received a fresh jolt, seven years after the substance became a regional cause celebre in the wake of an explosion that rocked the Torrance Refinery. Having affordable fuel that is readily available is a vital part of the California economy.. One person remained hospitalized with a knee injury. They heard a loud explosion, kind of like a sonic boom, said Jason Davis, who lives near the complex. TORRANCE, Calif. (Reuters) - An explosion and fire ripped through a gasoline processing unit at an Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance, California, near Los Angeles on Wednesday, slightly . The explosion sent ash raining down on. The 2015 explosion at the Torrance Refinery was bad, but it easily could have been catastrophic, Hahn said in a press release. They have not yet completed their final investigation, and I will be asking the Chemical Safety Board to include todays fire and explosion as part of their investigation.. PBF Energy, which now owns the Torrance Refining Co. refinery, denied that an explosion occurred. All Rights Reserved. Ryan Zehl is the lawyer responsible for this website. The decision by the board came one week after the two refineries sent letters offering to install improved safety systems in the coming years if regulators ended their pursuit of new rules for the chemical. Fortunately, the explosion did not release asbestos, but the material released contained fiberglass and glass wool which can cause respiratory issues. We cant assume we will be so lucky next time, whether that is another refinery accident, an earthquake, or God-forbid, an attack., The passage of the Supervisors motion is disappointing, she said in an email, because many of the points they make are both misleading and the projects are already in place, following agreements with several government agencies to install additional safety measures.. California workplace regulators fined ExxonMobil more than $500 million for the violations related to the explosion. Weve won over $1 Billion for our clients, recovered some of the largest verdicts and settlement in history, and obtained record-setting victories against the biggest trucking, oil and gas, maritime and petrochemical companies in the world. Watch: Explosion reported at ExxonMobil refinery in California - CBS News State of the Union CBS News App Ukraine Crisis COVID Pandemic CBS News Live Managing Your Money Essentials Shopping. The Torrance refinery has completed all safety enhancements and Valero has begun installation of some elements of safety measures structures and additional implementation is ongoing, said SCAQMD spokesperson Nahal Mogharabi in an email. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. While the unit where the blast occurred was ordered shut down, the rest of the refinery is still in operation. Several contractors were injured in the Feb. 18, 2015, blast that shut down the refinery for more than a year, leading to soaring gas prices in Southern California. Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion at a Torrance oil refinery that sent four workers to the hospital. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. The fiercest local opponent of MHF is the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance. With the capacity to refine more than 150,000 barrels of gasoline a day, the . Liz Odendahl, Hahns spokeswoman, said in an interview that the supervisor was furious at the AQMDs decision to accept the refineries proffers. Both the PBF and Valero refineries are situated in densely populated areas of the South Bay: About 245,000 people live within three miles of the Torrance refinery and another 153,000 live within that same distance of Valeros refinery, AQMD said. May 3, 2017, Torrance, CA, -- Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released its final report into the February 18, 2015, explosion at the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance, California. Had we known then what we know now, Cliff Heise said, we wouldve run, not walked home.. In 2004, the South Coast Air Quality Management District said much the same in an environmental analysis the agency did when Valero introduced MHF at its Wilmington refinery. The refinery relied on safeguards that could not be verified, and re-used a previous procedure deviation without a sufficient hazard analysis of the current process conditions. Organizers estimated the crowd size at more than 400. ExxonMobil was fined more than $500 million for workplace violations related to the blast. In the past 5 years alone, our Plant Explosion Lawyers have Won over $1 Billion for workers who were seriously injured and burned in refinery and industrial accidents, represented workers in connection with every major plant and refinery explosion in recent history, and recovered record-setting verdicts and settlements against the largest oil and gas companies in the world, including ExxonMobil, Williams, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips. Two others sustained minor injuries. Firefighters found gasoline flowing on the ground as a result of the explosion, Torrance Fire Department Capt. The investigation of the Torrance explosion by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board revealed that a piece of equipment nearly crashed into a tank holding tens of thousands of pounds of modified hydrofluoric acid a highly toxic chemical used to make high-octane gasoline. Torrance fire Capt. Fill Out the Form Below for a Free Case Review with our Undefeated Personal Injury Lawyers. The explosion was mostly contained to two of the buildings units, with each sustaining significant damage. Posted Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 5:20 pm PT. Explosion reported in Torrance Fire department vehicles will patrol Los Angeles with vehicles and helicopters to identify the damage or emergency needs, it was reported. 46,739 visits in the last 30 days. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. Although there are alternative alkylation technologies under development, Lafayette said, they still need to be proven to be safe, mechanically reliable, and commercially viable at the scale of the Torrance Alkylation Unit.. Passing motorists supplied supportive honks. Chairperson Sutherland said, Adoption of and adherence to a robust safety management process would have prevented these other incidents. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. The cause of the fire, which Millea said burned an unspecified amount of crude oil, is under scrutiny by investigators from Cal-OSHA, the states worker safety agency, while a county hazardous materials team also was on the scene. TORRANCE, Calif. (KABC) -- The Torrance Police Department issued an alert for the city, notifying them that the Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery had an explosion and fire early Saturday morning. The building has been undergoing renovations for some time, and the victims are believed to be remodelers working in one of the involved units, neighbors said. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. This explosion and near miss should not have happened, and likely would not have happened, had a more robust process safety management system been in place, then-CSB Chairwoman Vanessa Allen Sutherland said in a statement at the time. The CSBs report concludes that the unit was operating without proper procedures., MHF was the subject of a thorough technology review by a court-appointed Safety Advisor with input from the City of Torrance, Gesuina Lafayette, PBFs community relations advisor said in a recent email. TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. The blast caused serious property damage to the refinery and scattered catalyst dust up to a mile away from the facility into the nearby community. 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. Four contractors at the plant suffered injuries and required medical treatment and eight workers had to be decontaminated. The explosion occurred in the refinerys fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, where a variety of products, mainly gasoline, are produced.
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