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.. 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. 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. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. Had the tank ruptured, it would have caused a release of MHF, which is highly toxic. 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. By then, the husband said, theyd been living in the city long enough to know exactly what the sound was. 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. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM / KCAL News. If that was the case, we wouldnt have seen another explosion today, she added. Four were taken to hospitals. Times staff writer Tony Barboza contributed to this report. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Feb . 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. 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. Activists held an event Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the explosion at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance that injured four workers. 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. It provides 362 jobs around $30 million in wages in Torrance, according to its website. There were also questions asking why the emergency refinery sirens did not sound following the accident. This is a breaking news story. Fill out the form below for a free case review with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. Fire crews knocked down the blaze within 30 minutes. 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 governors office confirmed they received the request, but declined further comment. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM 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. But we had no idea about the danger.. God may not warn us again.. Chairperson Sutherland said, Adoption of and adherence to a robust safety management process would have prevented these other 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. 46,739 visits in the last 30 days. 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, 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. 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. 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. The CSB notes that it is vital to ensure that safety critical equipment can successfully carry out its intended function. 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). Officials were not aware of their exact conditions, but witnesses said some were seriously hurt. 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. Robert Millea said he couldnt immediately confirm whether an explosion actually occurred, only that one was reported. The explosion sent ash raining down on. 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. They have lived in a neighborhood directly adjacent to the Torrance refinery for 48 years. 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. 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. 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. Thousands of people could have been harmed if the MHF had dispersed beyond the Torrance refinery in 2015, the CSB report said. The incident caused the refinery to be run at limited capacity for over a year, raising gas prices in California and costing drivers in the state an estimated $2.4 billion. He said the blast happened in a processing facility and the material involved was gasoline. They heard a loud explosion, kind of like a sonic boom, said Jason Davis, who lives near the complex. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. 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. Principal Office: Houston Texas. The couple was taking a stroll outside of North High Schools football field on the day of the 2015 explosion. 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. 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. Inside the refinery, the explosion blew off parts of an electrostatic precipitator and damaged other equipment at the plant. Valero, owner of the Wilmington refinery, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Hutchings holds a B.A. And then the people who were right by just felt a shake, like an earthquake.. 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.. A Redondo Beach resident told NBC4 windows rattled at his house, about five miles from the refinery. All communications are private and confidential. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. 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. MHF opponents have also expressed concerns that the refineries havent done enough to ensure the communities safety. Tammy Khan, of the Torrance Unified School District, said the shetler-in-place order was lifted early Wednesday afternoon. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobil's refinery in Torrance, California. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information you review on this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice.The verdicts and settlements that we have listed are simply intended to be representative of the cases that Zehl & Associates has handled for past clients; they are not a guarantee or prediction of the outcome in your or any other lawsuit. First published on April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM. Having affordable fuel that is readily available is a vital part of the California economy.. Redondo Beach Local News. 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. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . 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.. In 2017, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board published a 73-page report on the explosion. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. 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. The refineries are the only two in the state that use the substance. And so, the battle over MHFs future appears set to linger on with the Board of Supervisors call for a ban the latest volley. The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. PBF Energy, which now owns the Torrance Refining Co. refinery, denied that an explosion occurred. The rule would have required a gradual phase-out of MHF usage at both refineries, requiring an alternative catalyst, such as sulfuric acid. 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. 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. The CSB determined that on the day of the incident a slide valve that acted as a barrier failed. In July 2016, the Torrance refinery was sold by ExxonMobil to PBF Holdings Company, LLC, which now operates as the Torrance Refining Company. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. Several residents noticed what they described as a larger-than-usual flame from the plant's towering flare stack. For instance, the CSB found that during work leading up to the incident, workers violated corporate lock out tag out requirements. 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. 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. We need to ban MHF as soon as possible. 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.. Prior to joining the Press-Telegram, she served as the Daily Breeze's lead city hall reporter. 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 explosion occurred in the refinerys fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, where a variety of products, mainly gasoline, are produced. An ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance injured two, caused a 1.7 magnitude shake and portends pain at the pumps. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. 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. The large turnout surprised even the diverse group of participants unaccustomed to seeing such political activism in a conservative community. With the capacity to refine more than 150,000 barrels of gasoline a day, the . Unfortunately, ExxonMobil, the owner-operator of the refinery at the time of the accident, did not respond to the CSBs requests for information detailing safeguards to prevent or mitigate a release of MHF, and therefore the agency was unable to fully explore this topic in its final report. People gathered in protest at the refinery later in the afternoon on the 2-year anniversary of an explosion at the plant that left two people injured. The explosion, which happened . No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. 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. Organizers estimated the crowd size at more than 400. I wish the Torrance City Council had the courage to say that.. There, too, the Torrance refinery has disagreed. If you're interested in joining our team, you can apply for a position here. Across California, CA | News | 15h. 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. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates Residents touted the move, introduced by Supervisor Janice Hahn and timed to the anniversary, while PBF, in a statement, criticized the county boards vote. 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. 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 explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. 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. TORRANCE TODAY is a 15-minute live news broadcast airing Monday. Torrance firefighters . All communications are private and confidential. Ryan Zehl is the lawyer responsible for this website. "Our main concern is for the safety of our employees and our neighbors.". All rights reserved. The CSBs report concludes that the unit was operating without proper procedures.. explosion also launched an 80,000-pound piece of equipment, failure to follow safety guidelines was partly to blame for the blast. 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.. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. PBF, for its part, has repeatedly said concerns from local groups against MHF were unwarranted. All rights reserved. More Stories Drone helps. 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. A reaction between hydrocarbons and catalyst takes place in what is known as the hydrocarbon side of the FCC unit. No injuries were reported and there were no evacuations. 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. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen, cell 202-446-8094 or email public@csb.gov. Workers were seen boarded up the windows of the affected apartments later Sunday afternoon. Let's get out of here. Numerous nearby residents complained about the air quality following the blast. It was unclear what caused the fire. TORRANCE (CBSLA.com) A New Jersey-based oil refining company announced Wednesday it is purchasing the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance that was badly damaged in a February explosion, with. Gen. Xavier Becerras office investigate how the Torrance and Wilmington refineries are able to legally operate using hydrofluoric acid. There was also minor damage to two adjoining apartments, according to Millea. 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. Torrance Refinery on April 22 reported an unplanned flaring event, induced by damaged equipment, that sent an additional 765 pounds of SOx and 143 pounds of volatile organic compounds into the. Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. There have also been multiple safety enhancements to prevent leaks, they say. When you think about it, she said, it makes you not want to sleep at night.. 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. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for any areas where residents can see or smell smoke. 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. Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. 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. Torrance fire Capt. People, Donna Heise said, are becoming more aware if nothing else over the last seven years.. 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. The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. ET), but there was no . Eight workers were decontaminated at the scene. 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. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. 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. Hahn who left the agencys board in December 2019 was one of two votes opposed to accepting the proffers. 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. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . 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. 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. 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. In the late 1980s, ExxonMobil and Phillips 66 jointly created modified hydrofluoric acid, which boasts a chemical additive that, when used in high enough concentrations, can prevent the poisonous chemical from dispersing. The Supervisor knew the proffers were toothless, Odendahl said. 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.. 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 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. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. 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 . 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. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. California Occupational Safety and Health officials were at the site investigating. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. 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. It appeared it was a gas explosion, but a hazardous materials team was on scene Sunday afternoon working to determine exactly what occurred. Alex Wigglesworth is an environment reporter who covers wildfires for the Los Angeles Times. Electrostatic precipitators are large machines that stand12 stories high and weigh more than 1,000 tons. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. Four apartments have been damaged, two of which sustained "significant damage.". 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. We knew we were moving in next to a refinery it was here before we were, Cliff Heise said in an interview. Liz Odendahl, Hahns spokeswoman, said in an interview that the supervisor was furious at the AQMDs decision to accept the refineries proffers. The refineries are required to provide quarterly updates to the agency.. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. Living in such close proximity to the refinery, Donna Heise said, makes it hard for the couple to ignore the chemicals potential dangers. / KCAL News. 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. 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. Refineries are not supposed to have explosions. 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. 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 incident caused the refinery to be . Of the injured, two were said to have sustained significant injuries. All the while, officials at those facilities have defended the chemicals use as safe. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the explosion, wh. 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. 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. Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. Some community members do not believe that the company did not enough to respond to the emergency. In working with inherently dangerous products, it is critical to conduct a robust risk management analysis with the intent of continually safety improvement.. Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage.