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. He said the blast happened in a processing facility and the material involved was gasoline. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobil's refinery in Torrance, California. 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. First published on April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM. Fire, explosion reported at Torrance Refinery, police say Visit our website, www.csb.gov. Liz Odendahl, Hahns spokeswoman, said in an interview that the supervisor was furious at the AQMDs decision to accept the refineries proffers. First thing I thought was to call my wife, my kids, and let them know I'm safe.". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. It provides 362 jobs around $30 million in wages in Torrance, according to its website. Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion at a Torrance oil refinery that sent four workers to the hospital. All safety systems at the refinery operated correctly and personnel were safe, police said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The CSBs report emphasizes that it is critical that hydrocarbons do not flow into the air side of the FCC unit, as this can create an explosive atmosphere. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The explosion on Feb. 18, 2015, was described by federal regulators as a serious near miss.. Zehl & Associates is always looking for smart, hardworking and talented personal injury attorneys and staff to join our team. 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.. An ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance injured two, caused a 1.7 magnitude shake and portends pain at the pumps. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . 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. 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. 1750 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 910 | Washington, DC 20006. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. 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.. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for any areas where residents can see or smell smoke. The Torrance Fire Department responded to an explosion at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery on Feb. 18, 2015. The Supervisor knew the proffers were toothless, Odendahl said. Three were treated and released. The explosion sent ash raining down on vehicles parked near the sprawling 750-acre site and caused what one worker described as intense shaking. For a breakdown of the fees and expenses associated with the verdicts and settlements listed on our site, please visit our Results page. The respective responses were predictable: For years, both sides of this battle have zealously defended their positions. By then, the husband said, theyd been living in the city long enough to know exactly what the sound was. All Rights Reserved. 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. There was also minor damage to two adjoining apartments, according to Millea. 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. TORRANCE, Calif.- 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.Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST (12 p.m. Electrostatic precipitators are large machines that stand12 stories high and weigh more than 1,000 tons. Refinery officials, though, say MHF was specifically designed to be safer than its non-modified original hydrofluoric acid and has been reviewed by experts and deemed the best catalyst for the refining process. 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. Local battle over toxic chemical at Torrance, Wilmington refineries If you're interested in joining our team, you can apply for a position here. CSB Releases Final Report into 2015 Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in All rights reserved. Deuel told The Associated Press the flare system was triggered to burn off fuel that could add to the fire. 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. Refinery Explosion Shakes Earth and Probably Gas Prices 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Officials were not aware of their exact conditions, but witnesses said some were seriously hurt. 'Large fire explosion' rocks ExxonMobil's Torrance Refinery in The cause of the explosion is under investigation. 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). Hahn who left the agencys board in December 2019 was one of two votes opposed to accepting the proffers. All communications are private and confidential. Redondo Beach Local News. The large turnout surprised even the diverse group of participants unaccustomed to seeing such political activism in a conservative community. Its unacceptable we were put in harms way, said Daphne Wong, who added that she does not believe the official line that Torrance is a safe community. 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. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. 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 ExxonMobil Explosion That Nobody Is Talking About Several residents noticed what they described as a larger-than-usual flame from the plant's towering flare stack. Robert Millea said he couldnt immediately confirm whether an explosion actually occurred, only that one was reported. ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion Injures Two, Rains Ash Upon - Patch 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. U.S. Chemical Safety Board. 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 incident caused the refinery to be . Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates God may not warn us again.. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. 4 Injured in Possible Gas Explosion at Torrance Apartment - KTLA 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Explosion at Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance, California, injures four We need to ban MHF as soon as possible. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Congressman Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement on Saturday's fire: Federal investigators in January said a failure to follow safety guidelines was partly to blame for the blast and that the aftermath could have been "catastrophic" had the equipment hit the unit housing MHF. She currently lives in Inglewood. While the unit where the blast occurred was ordered shut down, the rest of the refinery is still in operation. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. The CSB notes that it is vital to ensure that safety critical equipment can successfully carry out its intended function. 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. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. I wish the Torrance City Council had the courage to say that.. The incident was reported around 1:15 p.m. on the 23500 block of Anza Avenue, just . 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. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the explosion, wh. The governors office confirmed they received the request, but declined further comment. 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. 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. 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. In September, the South Coast Air Quality Management District governing board voted instead to accept a voluntary oil industry pledge to enhance safety measures. All the while, officials at those facilities have defended the chemicals use as safe. The explosion occurred in the refinerys fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, where a variety of products, mainly gasoline, are produced. Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery Rocked by Large Explosion - KTLA Were also the only law firm in the country thats currently representing over 65 of the workers who were injured in the Williams Geismar explosion, as well as 3 of the 4 workers who were tragically killed in the October 2015 Williams explosion in Gibson, Louisiana. Fill Out the Form Below for a Free Case Review with our Undefeated Personal Injury Lawyers. The explosion also launched an 80,000-pound piece of equipment within feet of a structure that housed a highly volatile and toxic substance, modified hydrofluoric acid. California Occupational Safety and Health officials were at the site investigating. 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. 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 refineries are required to provide quarterly updates to the agency.. 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. Various elected officials have periodically attempted to rein in its use at the Torrance refinery and another in Wilmington, the only two in the state that use the chemical. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year.