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. Meantime, the Torrance Refining Company hosted a safety rally for employees. The refineries arent going to eat that cost, William Burke, former chairman of the SCAQMDs governing board said in a previous interview. The work of the Safety Auditor was overseen by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge and approved prior to use of MHF at the refinery.. A smoke advisory was issued for areas near the ExxonMobil refinery due to Wednesday morning's explosion and fire. Another fire? 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. They have lived in a neighborhood directly adjacent to the Torrance refinery for 48 years. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. And so, the battle over MHFs future appears set to linger on with the Board of Supervisors call for a ban the latest volley. 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.. In July 2016, the Torrance refinery was sold by ExxonMobil to PBF Holdings Company, LLC, which now operates as the Torrance Refining Company. An ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance injured two, caused a 1.7 magnitude shake and portends pain at the pumps. When you think about it, she said, it makes you not want to sleep at night.. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen, cell 202-446-8094 or email public@csb.gov. 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. All safety systems at the refinery operated correctly and personnel were safe, police said. TORRANCE TODAY is a 15-minute live news broadcast airing Monday. Fire crews knocked down the blaze within 30 minutes. As a result, when the valve was needed during an emergency, it did not work as intended, and hydrocarbons were able to reach an ignition source. Kim Baldonado, Patrick Healy, Jason Kandel, and Tena Ezzeddine contributed to this report. Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Prior to joining the Press-Telegram, she served as the Daily Breeze's lead city hall reporter. Caltech officials said the explosion created ground shaking that was equivalent to a magnitude-1.7 earthquake. There were also questions asking why the emergency refinery sirens did not sound following the accident. 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. MHF opponents have also expressed concerns that the refineries havent done enough to ensure the communities safety. The additive does this by ensuring the chemical used as a liquid during refining doesnt turn into a gas. 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. 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. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . First thing I thought was to call my wife, my kids, and let them know I'm safe.". The shaking was felt primarily in the immediate vicinity of the refinery, according to Caltech. 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. The cause of the explosion was not known. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. All rights reserved. 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 couple was taking a stroll outside of North High Schools football field on the day of the 2015 explosion. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. 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? We knew we were moving in next to a refinery it was here before we were, Cliff Heise said in an interview. The large turnout surprised even the diverse group of participants unaccustomed to seeing such political activism in a conservative community. Fill Out the Form Below for a Free Case Review with our Undefeated Personal Injury Lawyers. Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates Alex Wigglesworth is an environment reporter who covers wildfires for the Los Angeles Times. Redondo Beach Local News. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Two others sustained minor injuries. Environmentalists and activists, though, argue that the additives levels in MHF have significantly decreased since the modified versions creation. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. 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. 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. The Supervisor knew the proffers were toothless, Odendahl said. The PBF Energy facility has been plagued with a series of incidents since the massive blast two years ago that almost caused a catastrophic release of highly toxic hydrofluoric acid that could have killed and injured thousands. Please enter valid email address to continue. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California. 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. Across California, CA | News | 15h. Edited by Rachel Barnes. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Those improvements were completed in 2021 and are now in service, Lafayette said. This is a breaking news story. Some community members do not believe that the company did not enough to respond to the emergency. 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). Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. Gen. Xavier Becerras office investigate how the Torrance and Wilmington refineries are able to legally operate using hydrofluoric acid. 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. 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 blast caused serious property damage to the refinery and scattered catalyst dust up to a mile away from the facility into the nearby community. No further details were immediately available. 6 Min Read. I urge SCAQMD to act with urgency, said the South Bay Democrat. 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. 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. And it directs L.A. County to support any new legislation that would help phase out MHF. in journalism from the University of Southern California. A powerful blast at an ExxonMobil oil refinery rocked Torrance, California, on Wednesday. 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. Firefighters found gasoline flowing on the ground as a result of the explosion, Torrance Fire Department Capt. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. 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. Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage. The CSB notes that it is vital to ensure that safety critical equipment can successfully carry out its intended function. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. Thousands of people could have been harmed if the MHF had dispersed beyond the Torrance refinery in 2015, the CSB report said. 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.. Those calls for a ban remain. 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.. Torrance fire Capt. The new campaign comes several months after air quality regulators killed a years-long push for stronger regulation of hydrofluoric acid at the two refineries. The refinery, where about 155,000 barrels of crude oil are processed each day, has been part of the South Bay landscape since the 1920s. 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. Principal Office: Houston Texas. Several residents noticed what they described as a larger-than-usual flame from the plant's towering flare stack. 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. The improvements, though, also came after sustained pressure from the community and watchdog agencies. The fiercest local opponent of MHF is the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance.