For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . All communications are private and confidential. 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. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. PBF also reached a separate agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to upgrade an additional water monitor in 2020, according to Lafayette. North Torrance resident Daphne Wong, her husband, Eng, and their three children, ages 5 to 9, all walked to the refinery together despite the rain. 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. 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. There was also minor damage to two adjoining apartments, according to Millea. All communications are private and confidential. 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. in communication and M.S. We need to ban MHF as soon as possible. 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. There was a "large fire explosion" at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery in Southern California on Wednesday morning, according to the Torrance Police Department. Inside the refinery, the explosion blew off parts of an electrostatic precipitator and damaged other equipment at the plant. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems. But the proposed ban on MHF is far from the first cost passed onto consumers: The 2015 explosion, according to the CSB, caused the refinery to run at limited capacity for more than a year and raised gas prices in California costing drivers in the state an estimated $2.4 billion. Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage. 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. The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. The 2015 explosion at the Torrance Refinery was bad, but it easily could have been catastrophic, Hahn said in a press release. TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. The motion the LA County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed in mid-February asks Gov. PBF, for its part, has repeatedly said concerns from local groups against MHF were unwarranted. 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. A group of activists on Saturday marked the fifth anniversary of an explosion at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance that injured four workers and prompted continuing concerns about the. The refineries arent going to eat that cost, William Burke, former chairman of the SCAQMDs governing board said in a previous interview. TORRANCE An explosion and fire in a gasoline processing unit rocked the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance today, injuring three workers and sending flames and ash into the sky. Officials were not aware of their exact conditions, but witnesses said some were seriously hurt. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. 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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. For instance, the CSB found that during work leading up to the incident, workers violated corporate lock out tag out requirements. 46,739 visits in the last 30 days. Lieu commended the AQMD for its proposal to phase out the use of modified hydrofluoric acid at the plant, one of only two refineries in California to rely on MHF. 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. The latest fire in an ongoing series of mishaps including leaks, excessive flaring and power outages that have plagued the refinery in recent months added fuel to the arguments of opponents that the plant is a safety and environmental hazard. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news. ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion Injures Two, Rains Ash Upon Neighborhood - Redondo Beach, CA - The blast at the Torrance refinery could be seen for miles and caused 1.7 magnitude ground-shaking. More Stories Drone helps. But the consequences, according to federal investigators, could have been far worse: The explosion, investigators wrote in a report two years later, nearly released tons of modified hydrofluoric acid, potentially putting thousands in the South Bay at risk. 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. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. Torrance firefighters responded to the 23500 block of Anza Avenue just before 1:20 p.m. Sunday. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. And so, the battle over MHFs future appears set to linger on with the Board of Supervisors call for a ban the latest volley. Economic factors, such as job creation and the regional and global importance of oil, further complicate the issue, at least for elected officials. Hutchings holds a B.A. TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. Residents touted the move, introduced by Supervisor Janice Hahn and timed to the anniversary, while PBF, in a statement, criticized the county boards vote. At the center of that debate is the modified part of MHF. A group of activists on Saturday marked the fifth anniversary of an explosion at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance that injured four workers and prompted continuing concerns about the potential for an even more catastrophic incident and the release of toxic chemicals and fumes into local communities. Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. The Torrance refinery, according to its website, has made several improvements, including a leak-detection system, upgraded water monitors, 24/7 automated, continuously monitored unit cameras and an expanded water mitigation system. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion at a Torrance oil refinery that sent four workers to the hospital. I cant believe they dont have the guts to stand up and say, This is wrong and MHF needs to be out of our community, she said. 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.. I urge SCAQMD to act with urgency, said the South Bay Democrat. The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. 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. Living in such close proximity to the refinery, Donna Heise said, makes it hard for the couple to ignore the chemicals potential dangers. Just before 9 that morning, pent-up gases at ExxonMobil's Torrance refinery south of Los Angeles had triggered an explosion so massive it registered as a magnitude-1.7 tremor. With the addition of these voluntary safety enhancements and other obligations completed and operating, we have fulfilled our obligation to further protect Refinery personnel and the community, Lafayette said. The shaking was felt primarily in the immediate vicinity of the refinery, according to Caltech. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. In 2017, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board published a 73-page report on the explosion. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. ExxonMobil said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon that "no harmful emissions have been detected.". First thing I thought was to call my wife, my kids, and let them know I'm safe.". There, too, the Torrance refinery has disagreed. An explosion at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance today sent a plume of black smoke in the air and caused ash to cascade down on the area, but there were only two minor injuries. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The Torrance Refinery Action Alliance plans on Tuesday to deliver a letter from its science advisory panel to Newsoms office urging him to request that Atty. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. For more than seven years, members of small, local activist groups have been irresponsibly making claims against the Refinerys use of MHF, without any basis in fact, Lafayette wrote recently. The improvements, though, also came after sustained pressure from the community and watchdog agencies. The proposal had plenty of support: Reps. Nanette Barragan, Ted Lieu and Maxine Waters wrote letters urging the AQMD to pass the rule and phase MHF out of Southern California. The explosion sent ash raining down on. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. Firefighters found gasoline flowing on the ground as a result of the explosion, Torrance Fire Department Capt. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. "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. 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. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA Just before 9 a.m. on February 18, the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance, California exploded, shaking the surrounding community with the force of a 1.7 magnitude earthquake, and sending a quarter ton of sulfur oxide gas into the atmosphere. Torrance firefighters . First published on April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. "I was having my cup of coffee and all of the sudden the whole house shook, the windows vibrated," said Torrance resident John White. One person remained hospitalized with a knee injury. Member-Designated Transportation Projects, Fire erupts at Torrance refinery just hours before protest rally, announced safety rally at the refinery PBF had planned to hold for workers as a counterpoint to the demonstration, Manhattan Beach Office (By Appointment Only). The Supervisor knew the proffers were toothless, Odendahl said. 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. 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. Passing motorists supplied supportive honks. Officials were investigating the cause of the over-pressurization. The crowd gathered at 10 a.m. at Columbia Park on 190th Street, cheering the remarks of Lieu, Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi and other speakers, before marching the short distance to the refinery. We voluntarily enhanced the Alkylation Units robust, layered safety systems already considered by experts to be amongst the most advanced in the world, Lafayette wrote, by installing additional safety enhancements.. The SCAQMD didnt comment on Hahns request for the organization to reexamine the viability of alternative technologies to MHF, some of which may be more commercially available than they were at the time of the vote. 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. The couple was taking a stroll outside of North High Schools football field on the day of the 2015 explosion. A reaction between hydrocarbons and catalyst takes place in what is known as the hydrocarbon side of the FCC unit. The CSB is an independent, non-regulatory federal agency charged with investigating serious chemical incidents. The CSB investigation also discovered that a large piece of debris from the explosion narrowly missed hitting a tank containing tens of thousands of pounds of modified hydrofluoric acid, or MHF. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. "I kind of figured we had an earthquake, then I realized, living by the factory for all those years, they had a problem with the factory.". That 2015 blast registered as a small earthquake that shook nearby houses, injured four of the facilitys workers and covered the area in dust and ash. The fire, possibly triggered by an explosion that has not yet been confirmed, was reported at 6 a.m. Saturday in the plants crude oil unit, said Torrance Assistant Fire Chief Steve Treskes. Flares from the stack, part of a safety relief valve system, are part of normal operations that occasionally produce a rumbling sound, like distant thunder, caused by turbulent mixing of vapors. So far though, it doesn't appear as if any serious damage or injuries have occurred, barring reported explosions in Torrance. All rights reserved. Its been a few years now, and there has been very little progress.. Those calls for a ban remain. The explosion, the report said, launched a 40-ton piece of debris that nearly struck tanks carrying tens of thousands of pounds of MHF. torrance News Caught on video: Car-to-car shooting on 91 Freeway Video shows a shooting between people in two cars traveling on the freeway in the Long Beach area. 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. Had we known then what we know now, Cliff Heise said, we wouldve run, not walked home.. Another fire? The incident was reported around 1:15 p.m. on the 23500 block of Anza Avenue, just . 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. More than a day after the accident, no representative from ExxonMobil had directly contacted the Torrance fire chief and city officials still did not know what was in the substances that were released into the surrounding areas. Having affordable fuel that is readily available is a vital part of the California economy.. Posted Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 5:20 pm PT. Three of them were taken to a nearby hospital, authorities said, after earlier indicating all four had been transported. Numerous nearby residents complained about the air quality following the blast. Deuel told The Associated Press the flare system was triggered to burn off fuel that could add to the fire. The 2015 explosion, according to the CSB, caused the refinery to run at limited capacity for more than a year and raised gas prices in California costing drivers in the state an estimated $2.4. Please enter valid email address to continue. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. In September, the South Coast Air Quality Management District governing board voted instead to accept a voluntary oil industry pledge to enhance safety measures. The Heises, for their part, are still working to educate residents in Torrance and Wilmington about their MHF concerns and are grateful the issue is still being monitored. She currently lives in Inglewood. Chairperson Sutherland said, Adoption of and adherence to a robust safety management process would have prevented these other incidents. I wish the Torrance City Council had the courage to say that.. Eight workers were decontaminated at the scene. Those improvements were completed in 2021 and are now in service, Lafayette said. The refineries are required to provide quarterly updates to the agency.. The four victims were found suffering varying degrees on injuries. The incident was reported around 1:15 p.m. on the 23500 block of Anza Avenue, just north of the Pacific Coast Highway, Assistant Torrance Fire Chief Robert Millea said. There have also been multiple safety enhancements to prevent leaks, they say. For a breakdown of the fees and expenses associated with the verdicts and settlements listed on our site, please visit our Results page. In July 2016, the Torrance refinery was sold by ExxonMobil to PBF Holdings Company, LLC, which now operates as the Torrance Refining Company. A powerful blast at an ExxonMobil oil refinery rocked Torrance, California, on Wednesday. All the while, officials at those facilities have defended the chemicals use as safe. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. 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. 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 bottom line is Torrance Refinery now has the most advanced safety systems of any HF Alkylation Unit in California, the U.S., and the world.. The refinery previously said that the citys Fire Department has the sole responsibility to decide what tools to use, when to use them, and what area within the community to notify. At the bottom of a public notice explaining the Torrance Community Warning System, however, ExxonMobil has the ability to initiate the use of the Community Alert Sirens and Crenshaw Street Barriers if an incident at the refinery warrants immediate community notification., The Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee and the Environmental Quality Committee has planned a joint hearing to address the emergency response in the Torrance refinery explosion. 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. No further details were immediately available. The explosion, which happened . Hire a Houston personal injury lawyer with a proven track record. 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.. Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. U.S. Chemical Safety Board. And then the people who were right by just felt a shake, like an earthquake.. / KCAL News. All rights reserved, Los Angeles County Holds Stable COVID-19 Hospitalization Rate, Tax Deadlines Extended to October for Most Californians Due to Storms, Check Your Pockets: These Coins Can Be Worth Up To $24,000, Glendale Neighborhood Frustrated After an Illegal Hostel Moves In, Road Rage Incident Kicks Off Pursuit, Carjacking, and Weapon Fired Out Window in Wild Chase, NASA Images Show Southern California Mountains Before and After Winter Storm. That, the report said, would prevent the chemical from dispersing as widely as it would as an aerosol. Hours after an explosion ripped through a Torrance refinery, residents for miles around continue to grapple with ash, a gas odor and concerns over poor air quality while inspectors confirmed that a filtration device was the source of the blast. Caltech officials said the explosion created ground shaking that was equivalent to a magnitude-1.7 earthquake. Paige Austin, Patch Staff. Fill Out the Form Below for a Free Case Review with our Undefeated Personal Injury Lawyers. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. On a day when activists marked the two-year anniversary of an explosion that rocked the then-ExxonMobil refinery and showered neighborhoods with industrial debris, another fire erupted at the troubled Torrance plant early Saturday. The CSB also found that in multiple instances leading up to the incident, the refinery directly violated ExxonMobils corporate safety standards. Cliff and Donna Heise, for example, serve as secretary and treasurer of the TRAA, respectively. Additional locations: Dallas, TX | Midland, TX | Odessa, TX | Louisiana, Plant Explosion Lawyer Refinery & Pipeline, Railroad Crossing Accidents and Train Accidents, Longshore & Harbor Workers Compensation Act. It provides 362 jobs around $30 million in wages in Torrance, according to its website. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobil's refinery in Torrance, California. Gen. Xavier Becerras office investigate how the Torrance and Wilmington refineries are able to legally operate using hydrofluoric acid. The AQMDs own reports warned that the ability of MHF to prevent formation of a vapor/aerosol cloud is highly uncertain and that a release of MHF will result in exposure to HF with the same health effects.. Torrance fire Capt. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California. By then, the husband said, theyd been living in the city long enough to know exactly what the sound was. Following the explosion, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health shut down the part of the refinery where the accident occurred. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. The motion also instructs county departments to review existing health and safety measures related to MHF including emergency precautions in case of an accidental leak. In working with inherently dangerous products, it is critical to conduct a robust risk management analysis with the intent of continually safety improvement.. But we had no idea about the danger.. Edited by Rachel Barnes. CSB Releases Final Report into 2015 Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California, Drivers of Critical Chemical Safety Change, Process Safety Management for the 21st Century, Emergency Planning and Response (Preparedness), Website design & development by Americaneagle.com. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM / KCAL News. 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. The CSB determined that on the day of the incident a slide valve that acted as a barrier failed. Four contractors at the plant suffered injuries and required medical treatment and eight workers had to be decontaminated. The issues to be discussed include A decision not to use the ExxonMobil emergency siren to alert the community to the explosion and subsequent ash and dust fallout..
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