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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. All Rights Reserved. The explosion on Feb. 18, 2015, was described by federal regulators as a serious near miss.. 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. 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. Other groups including the refinerys unions and local businesses feared the potential economic fallout if the refineries were forced to transition to a safer alternative. 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.. The fire, possibly triggered by an explosion that has not yet been confirmed, was reported at 6 a.m. Saturday in the plant's crude oil unit, said Torrance Assistant Fire Chief Steve Treskes. All the while, officials at those facilities have defended the chemicals use as safe. I urge SCAQMD to act with urgency, said the South Bay Democrat. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Authorities said the incident happened around 6 a.m. and 36 firefighters responded to the refinery. 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.. More Stories Drone helps. A smoke advisory was issued for areas near the ExxonMobil refinery due to Wednesday morning's explosion and fire. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. Since then, at least one leak of hydrofluoric acid and several fires have prompted the South Coast Air Quality Management District to propose a ban on hydrofluoric acid. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bontas offices to take all possible actions to require refineries in California to convert from MHF to safer alternatives.. 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. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. Edited by Rachel Barnes. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . "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. Kristy Hutchings covers all things Long Beach including local government, politics, and the environment. The Supervisor knew the proffers were toothless, Odendahl said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Hire a Houston personal injury lawyer with a proven track record. TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. 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. Instead, if a leak occurred, a ground-hugging liquid cloud would form, according to a 2018 report from the Torrance refinery defending its use of the chemical. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. Principal Office: Houston Texas. Following the explosion, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health shut down the part of the refinery where the accident occurred. Refineries are not supposed to have explosions. 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 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. Robert Millea said he couldnt immediately confirm whether an explosion actually occurred, only that one was reported. Caltech officials said the explosion created ground shaking that was equivalent to a magnitude-1.7 earthquake. Fortunately, the explosion did not release asbestos, but the material released contained fiberglass and glass wool which can cause respiratory issues. Some community members do not believe that the company did not enough to respond to the emergency. Paige Austin, Patch Staff. Many in the neighborhood reported being startled by a large blast. Numerous nearby residents complained about the air quality following the blast. 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. Minor injuries were reported after the explosion ripped apart structures at the oil refinery and shook homes for miles around the blast site in southern Los Angeles County. All rights reserved. Fill out the form below for a free case review with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. 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. Other than the affected crude unit, the refinery continues to operate, Brien said. 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. The remainder of the FCC unit is comprised of a portion of the reaction process and a series of pollution control equipment that uses air and is known as the air side of the unit. One person remained hospitalized with a knee injury. The refinery completed those improvements in 2020. Deuel told The Associated Press the flare system was triggered to burn off fuel that could add to the fire. Kim Baldonado, Patrick Healy, Jason Kandel, and Tena Ezzeddine contributed to this report. mostrar anuncios y contenido personalizados basados en perfiles de inters; medir la efectividad de los anuncios y el contenido personalizados, y. desarrollar y mejorar nuestros productos y servicios. 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County, Over $38M stolen from low-income SoCal families, Newport Beach home dangling after cliffside collapse, High-speed rail from L.A. to Vegas: What we know, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A Redondo Beach resident told NBC4 windows rattled at his house, about five miles from the refinery. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. The governors office confirmed they received the request, but declined further comment. PBF Energy, which now owns the Torrance Refining Co. refinery, denied that an explosion occurred. Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Some said they heard one of the workers may have turned on the gas inside one of the apartments before it was completely ready. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but it was believed to be caused by over pressurization in the plants electrostatic precipitators. Visit our website, www.csb.gov. "I was having my cup of coffee and all of the sudden the whole house shook, the windows vibrated," said Torrance resident John White. By then, the husband said, theyd been living in the city long enough to know exactly what the sound was. Four contractors at the plant suffered injuries and required medical treatment and eight workers had to be decontaminated. The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. 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? This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Community members who may have been impacted by the explosion can call the ExxonMobil claims hotline at 844-631-2539. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. 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. Tammy Khan, of the Torrance Unified School District, said the shetler-in-place order was lifted early Wednesday afternoon. The explosion sent ash raining down on vehicles parked near the sprawling 750-acre site and caused what one worker described as intense shaking. The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. But in the years since the 2015 explosion, residents have continued decrying MHF. in journalism from the University of Southern California. The incident was reported around 1:15 p.m. on the 23500 block of Anza Avenue, just . Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. 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. 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. 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.. It provides 362 jobs around $30 million in wages in Torrance, according to its website. The fiercest local opponent of MHF is the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Valero, owner of the Wilmington refinery, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. While the unit where the blast occurred was ordered shut down, the rest of the refinery is still in operation. 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 couple was taking a stroll outside of North High Schools football field on the day of the 2015 explosion. Residents touted the move, introduced by Supervisor Janice Hahn and timed to the anniversary, while PBF, in a statement, criticized the county boards vote. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. 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. 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ExxonMobil said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon that "no harmful emissions have been detected.". 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. Workers were seen boarded up the windows of the affected apartments later Sunday afternoon. Chairperson Sutherland said, Adoption of and adherence to a robust safety management process would have prevented these other incidents. Activists held an event Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the explosion at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance that injured four workers. Ryan Zehl is the lawyer responsible for this website. Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year. The rule would have required a gradual phase-out of MHF usage at both refineries, requiring an alternative catalyst, such as sulfuric acid. 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. 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. In July 2016, the Torrance refinery was sold by ExxonMobil to PBF Holdings Company, LLC, which now operates as the Torrance Refining Company. 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. Hutchings holds a B.A. We need to ban MHF as soon as possible. TORRANCE, Calif. -- An explosion rocked an Exxon Mobil refinery on Wednesday morning, triggering a huge smokestack flare, raining down ash and leaving four with minor injuries, company and. My first reaction was, this doesn't sound good, this doesn't look good. Had the tank ruptured, it would have caused a release of MHF, which is highly toxic. A reaction between hydrocarbons and catalyst takes place in what is known as the hydrocarbon side of the FCC unit. ExxonMobil was fined more than $500 million for workplace violations related to the blast. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . Cal/OSHA has shut down the fluid catalytic cracker and will only allow operations to resume once it can be exhibited that the unit can operate safely. Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. 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. The fire was reported to the South Coast Air Quality Management District and California Office of Emergency Services, police said. 6 Min Read. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. 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 blast caused serious property damage to the refinery and scattered catalyst dust up to a mile away from the facility into the nearby community. Several residents noticed what they described as a larger-than-usual flame from the plant's towering flare stack. The CSBs report concludes that the unit was operating without proper procedures.. Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. 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 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. A Philadelphia native, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in medical anthropology and global health. / KCAL News. 46,739 visits in the last 30 days. 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "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.". A blast was reported at the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance, California. 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. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the explosion, wh. All rights reserved. Those improvements were completed in 2021 and are now in service, Lafayette said. Liz Odendahl, Hahns spokeswoman, said in an interview that the supervisor was furious at the AQMDs decision to accept the refineries proffers. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. Every one of our lawyers is a Houston personal injury attorney whos undefeated in the courtroom and has recovered some of the largest verdicts and settlements in history. 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. CSB Chairperson Vanessa Allen Sutherland said, 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. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. Refinery officials those from ExxonMobil, which owned the Torrance Refining Company during the explosion, and current owner PBF Energy have repeatedly pushed back on that conclusion, saying MHF doesnt pose a widespread threat. The incident caused the refinery to be . 1750 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 910 | Washington, DC 20006. 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.. 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. Those safety enhancements, Lafayette said, include installing a new protective steel structure, water mitigation dome and curtain, an enhanced HF/MHF detection system, and additional water mitigation monitors. And those who run the Torrance facility also say its refinery hasnt experienced an off-site leak of either HF or MHF since it opened in 1966. U.S. Chemical Safety Board. 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. Zehl & Associates is always looking for smart, hardworking and talented personal injury attorneys and staff to join our team. The explosion sent ash raining down on. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. 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. 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.