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. The fiercest local opponent of MHF is the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance. Across California, CA | News | 15h. The additive does this by ensuring the chemical used as a liquid during refining doesnt turn into a gas. 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. Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Torrance officials said there was no chemical release and a citywide shelter-in-place order is not necessary, but those near the site should keep windows closed. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Refinery Explosion Shakes Earth and Probably Gas Prices The incident caused the refinery to be . Other than the affected crude unit, the refinery continues to operate, Brien said. 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. First published on April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. The CSBs report concludes that the unit was operating without proper procedures.. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. 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. 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. 4 Injured in Possible Gas Explosion at Torrance Apartment - KTLA Environmentalists and concerned residents say MHF could prove catastrophic if the chemical were to escape, pointing to its corrosivity and studies that show its ability to travel beyond a refinerys footprint. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Final CSB Report of Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, CA After protests and intensified public pressure from such activists as the Heises mounted in 2017, the AQMDs Proposed Rule 1410 became a key focus of the agencys Governing Board. Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. Please enter valid email address to continue. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California - NBC News TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. And the incident was avoidable, CSB said: Mismanagement and improper safety protocols put in place by then-owner ExxonMobil who sold the refinery to PBF Energy shortly after the incident made the explosion likely. The shaking was felt primarily in the immediate vicinity of the refinery, according to Caltech. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM 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. Prior to joining the Press-Telegram, she served as the Daily Breeze's lead city hall reporter. 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. They heard a loud explosion, kind of like a sonic boom, said Jason Davis, who lives near the complex. 4.3 earthquake strikes near LA, Internet asks 'why did it - MEAWW This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Fire crews knocked down the blaze within 30 minutes. Four apartments have been damaged, two of which sustained "significant damage.". 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. Residents reported shaking normally associated with earthquakes throughout the South Bay area. Fill Out the Form Below for a Free Case Review with our Undefeated Personal Injury Lawyers. For a breakdown of the fees and expenses associated with the verdicts and settlements listed on our site, please visit our Results page. Redondo Beach News, Breaking News in Redondo Beach, CA U.S. Chemical Safety Board. They have lived in a neighborhood directly adjacent to the Torrance refinery for 48 years. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. The CSB also found that in multiple instances leading up to the incident, the refinery directly violated ExxonMobils corporate safety standards. The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. 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. Those calls for a ban remain. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. 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. Electrostatic precipitators are large machines that stand12 stories high and weigh more than 1,000 tons. Another fire? 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. Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. The refinery completed those improvements in 2020. TORRANCE TODAY - FEBRUARY 16, 2023 - City of Torrance Hahn who left the agencys board in December 2019 was one of two votes opposed to accepting the proffers. The explosion occurred in the refinerys fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, where a variety of products, mainly gasoline, are produced. Liz Odendahl, Hahns spokeswoman, said in an interview that the supervisor was furious at the AQMDs decision to accept the refineries proffers. ExxonMobil's Torrance Refinery Sold Amid Report Of Potential Disaster 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. Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. CSB Releases Final Report into 2015 Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in Had the tank ruptured, it would have caused a release of MHF, which is highly toxic. When released, the chemical can form a deadly, ground-hugging cloud that, in the event of a major leak, could have caused serious injury or death to many community members, according to the agency. 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. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. The motion the LA County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed in mid-February asks Gov. The CSB notes that it is vital to ensure that safety critical equipment can successfully carry out its intended function. Economic factors, such as job creation and the regional and global importance of oil, further complicate the issue, at least for elected officials. Deuel told The Associated Press the flare system was triggered to burn off fuel that could add to the fire. 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. Kristy Hutchings covers all things Long Beach including local government, politics, and the environment. All Rights Reserved. PBF Energy, which now owns the Torrance Refining Co. refinery, denied that an explosion occurred. 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. 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.. When you think about it, she said, it makes you not want to sleep at night.. ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion Injures Two, Rains Ash 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. 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. Blast Blamed on Gas Buildup - Los Angeles Times But at least for now, environmentalists and the refineries remain entrenched in their positions. 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. At the center of that debate is the modified part of MHF. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM / KCAL News. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. Gen. Xavier Becerras office investigate how the Torrance and Wilmington refineries are able to legally operate using hydrofluoric acid. 46,739 visits in the last 30 days. Those improvements were completed in 2021 and are now in service, Lafayette said. ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion in Torrance, CA - Zehl & Associates While the unit where the blast occurred was ordered shut down, the rest of the refinery is still in operation. 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.. The latest salvo in the battle over MHF came last month, when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors called for a ban on the highly toxic chemical. Eight workers were decontaminated at the scene. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the explosion, wh. 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. 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. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year. First thing I thought was to call my wife, my kids, and let them know I'm safe.". 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. But we had no idea about the danger.. There were also questions asking why the emergency refinery sirens did not sound following the accident. Explosion at Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance, California, injures four Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. Valero, owner of the Wilmington refinery, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. By Nichola Groom 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 injuring four workers and shattering windows of surrounding buildings, authorities said. 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. Torrance firefighters . 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. TORRANCE TODAY is a 15-minute live news broadcast airing Monday. California Occupational Safety and Health officials were at the site investigating. People, Donna Heise said, are becoming more aware if nothing else over the last seven years.. 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.. Refineries are not supposed to have explosions. An ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance injured two, caused a 1.7 magnitude shake and portends pain at the pumps. Activists marking Torrance refinery explosion anniversary call for In its final report, the CSB describes multiple gaps in the refinerys process safety management system, allowing for the operation of the FCC unit without pre-established safe operating limits and criteria for a shut down. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California. 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. The explosion sent ash raining down on vehicles parked near the sprawling 750-acre site and caused what one worker described as intense shaking. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobil's refinery in Torrance, California. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. Times staff writer Tony Barboza contributed to this report. 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. Homes shook in . The couple was taking a stroll outside of North High Schools football field on the day of the 2015 explosion. Following the explosion, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health shut down the part of the refinery where the accident occurred. Local battle over toxic chemical at Torrance,, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Local battle over toxic chemical at Torrance, Wilmington refineries continues, Baby girl Winter of Lake Arrowhead is born amid raging blizzard, Texas congressman who broke with GOP is censured, Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China, More Iranian schoolgirls sickened in suspected poisoning wave, explosion that rocked the Torrance Refinery, according to a 2018 report from the Torrance refinery defending its use of the chemical, protests and intensified public pressure from such activists, Heres why AQMD committee chose enhanced safety measures over a ban on MHF at refineries in Wilmington and Torrance, LA public health official urges phasing out MHF chemical at Torrance, Wilmington refineries, Activists call for state investigation into use of toxic chemical at two South Bay refineries, Court rules ExxonMobil must give feds crucial data on 2015 Torrance refinery explosion, Explosion at Torrance ExxonMobil refinery injures 4; spike in gas prices expected, Alpine Village shopkeepers get confirmation: theyre being evicted, San Pedro Fish Market bids a sad goodbye to legacy location, Alpine Village, for decades a German American hub, faces unknown future, Appeals court ruling in Lunada Bay Boys case could make cities liable for surf localism, Gracie Abrams behind Good Riddance message in Los Angeles sky, Tax filing deadline moves to mid-October for most Californians, 6 suspects wanted for holding up armored cars for $550,000-plus in Hawthorne, LA and Inglewood, California weighs $360,000 in reparations to eligible Black residents, Hermosa Beach Police arrest 2 men suspected in shooting attempt, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. / KCAL News. Let's get out of here. 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. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. By then, the husband said, theyd been living in the city long enough to know exactly what the sound was. ExxonMobil was fined more than $500 million for workplace violations related to the blast. Authorities said the incident happened around 6 a.m. and 36 firefighters responded to the refinery. PBF also reached a separate agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to upgrade an additional water monitor in 2020, according to Lafayette. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but it was believed to be caused by over pressurization in the plants electrostatic precipitators. 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 refinery has been under constant scrutiny since the explosion as small fires and flare ups have been reported since and raised concern among residents living nearby. Four were taken to hospitals. 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. 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 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. Explosion, fire at ExxonMobil refinery rocks Torrance Advocates renew call for MHF ban on 8th anniversary of Torrance 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. And it directs L.A. County to support any new legislation that would help phase out MHF. The four victims were found suffering varying degrees on injuries. 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. 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. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. explosion also launched an 80,000-pound piece of equipment, failure to follow safety guidelines was partly to blame for the blast. 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. 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. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. 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. Feb . 1750 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 910 | Washington, DC 20006. 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. Its been a few years now, and there has been very little progress.. 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. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. Edited by Rachel Barnes. Our Manhattan Beach office is physically closed at this time. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Several residents noticed what they described as a larger-than-usual flame from the plant's towering flare stack. 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. Many in the neighborhood reported being startled by a large blast. The ExxonMobil near-disaster you probably haven't heard of Explosion at Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance, California, injures four 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. That, the report said, would prevent the chemical from dispersing as widely as it would as an aerosol. 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. 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 investigating the cause of the over-pressurization. There, too, the Torrance refinery has disagreed. The refineries are required to provide quarterly updates to the agency.. 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. Torrance firefighters responded to the 23500 block of Anza Avenue just before 1:20 p.m. Sunday. I urge SCAQMD to act with urgency, said the South Bay Democrat. 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 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. 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 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. Robert Millea said he couldnt immediately confirm whether an explosion actually occurred, only that one was reported. My first reaction was, this doesn't sound good, this doesn't look good. Fire, explosion reported at Torrance Refinery, police say 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. California fire crews respond to ExxonMobil refinery explosion - CBS News All safety systems at the refinery operated correctly and personnel were safe, police said. 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. 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. I wish the Torrance City Council had the courage to say that.. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. 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. Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. ET), but there was no . 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.
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