He said the blast happened in a processing facility and the material involved was gasoline. 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. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. The refineries arent going to eat that cost, William Burke, former chairman of the SCAQMDs governing board said in a previous interview. Zehl & Associates is always looking for smart, hardworking and talented personal injury attorneys and staff to join our team. Our Manhattan Beach office is physically closed at this time. Three were treated and released. Steve Deuel said. 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.. "I was having my cup of coffee and all of the sudden the whole house shook, the windows vibrated," said Torrance resident John White. explosion also launched an 80,000-pound piece of equipment, failure to follow safety guidelines was partly to blame for the blast. 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. "It was like a loud sonic boom. Another fire? Had the tanks ruptured, the report said, it would have caused a massive release of MHF, which can be deadly to anyone who comes in contact with it. 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. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . The explosion was mostly contained to two of the buildings units, with each sustaining significant damage. Explosion Rips Through Torrance Refinery, Shakes South Bay For decades, hydrofluoric acid was a standard chemical in oil refining, serving as a catalyst during a process known as alkylation. 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. 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. Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage. 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. The Torrance Fire Department responded to an explosion at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery on Feb. 18, 2015. Although there are alternative alkylation technologies under development, Lafayette said, they still need to be proven to be safe, mechanically reliable, and commercially viable at the scale of the Torrance Alkylation Unit.. 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. Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM / KCAL News. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California - NBC News 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). U.S. Chemical Safety Board. The improvements, though, also came after sustained pressure from the community and watchdog agencies. Torrance Refinery cited for failing to properly maintain equipment 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. 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. Watch: Explosion reported at ExxonMobil refinery in California More information will be added as soon as it becomes available. A smoke advisory was issued for areas near the ExxonMobil refinery due to Wednesday morning's explosion and fire. The explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. Fill out the form below for a free case review with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. 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. 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. Organizers estimated the crowd size at more than 400. I urge SCAQMD to act with urgency, said the South Bay Democrat. 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. In 2017, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board published a 73-page report on the explosion. 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. Community members who may have been impacted by the explosion can call the ExxonMobil claims hotline at 844-631-2539. Tammy Khan, of the Torrance Unified School District, said the shetler-in-place order was lifted early Wednesday afternoon. 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. 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. The CSB determined that on the day of the incident a slide valve that acted as a barrier failed. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for any areas where residents can see or smell smoke. PBF, for its part, has repeatedly said concerns from local groups against MHF were unwarranted. It provides 362 jobs around $30 million in wages in Torrance, according to its website. 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. Valero, owner of the Wilmington refinery, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Fortunately, the explosion did not release asbestos, but the material released contained fiberglass and glass wool which can cause respiratory issues. Three of them were taken to a nearby hospital, authorities said, after earlier indicating all four had been transported. "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. All rights reserved. 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. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen, cell 202-446-8094 or email public@csb.gov. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. Hahns February motion also asks the AQMDs refinery committee to provide an update on the status of safety improvements listed in the refineries proffers. 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. All communications are private and confidential. The 2015 explosion at the Torrance Refinery was bad, but it easily could have been catastrophic, Hahn said in a press release. My first reaction was, this doesn't sound good, this doesn't look good. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion at a Torrance oil refinery that sent four workers to the hospital. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. 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. Economic factors, such as job creation and the regional and global importance of oil, further complicate the issue, at least for elected officials. 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. 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. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. 4 Injured in Possible Gas Explosion at Torrance Apartment - KTLA Numerous nearby residents complained about the air quality following the blast. California workplace regulators fined ExxonMobil more than $500 million for the violations related to the explosion. Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates Those improvements were completed in 2021 and are now in service, Lafayette said. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. And it directs L.A. County to support any new legislation that would help phase out MHF. An explosion at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance today sent a plume of black smoke in the air and caused ash to cascade down on the area, but there were only two minor injuries. So far though, it doesn't appear as if any serious damage or injuries have occurred, barring reported explosions in Torrance. 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. TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. Of the injured, two were said to have sustained significant injuries. 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. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. CSB Releases Final Report into 2015 Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in "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.". Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. 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. Activists marking Torrance refinery explosion anniversary call for Hahn who left the agencys board in December 2019 was one of two votes opposed to accepting the proffers. 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. Visit our website, www.csb.gov. Living in such close proximity to the refinery, Donna Heise said, makes it hard for the couple to ignore the chemicals potential dangers. 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. ExxonMobil's Torrance Refinery Sold Amid Report Of Potential Disaster 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 state could potentially lose thousands of jobs, and it could result in higher gasoline prices at the pump for California residents, businesses, and government, Californians for a Sustainable Economy an association representing hundreds of local businesses wrote in opposition to the ban. A powerful blast at an ExxonMobil oil refinery rocked Torrance, California, on Wednesday. But in the years since the 2015 explosion, residents have continued decrying MHF. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. For a breakdown of the fees and expenses associated with the verdicts and settlements listed on our site, please visit our Results page. Electrostatic precipitators are large machines that stand12 stories high and weigh more than 1,000 tons. 'Large fire explosion' rocks ExxonMobil's Torrance Refinery in The cause of the explosion was not known. / KCAL News. 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 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. 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. Four apartments have been damaged, two of which sustained "significant damage.". 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. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. Robert Millea said he couldnt immediately confirm whether an explosion actually occurred, only that one was reported. "I just appreciate that I'm here. 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. Officials were investigating the cause of the over-pressurization. If you're interested in joining our team, you can apply for a position here. This is a breaking news story. 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 explosion sent ash raining down on vehicles parked near the sprawling 750-acre site and caused what one worker described as intense shaking. The modified HF catalyst reduces acid vapor pressure sufficiently to suppress the usual flash atomization process of hydrofluoric acid, that environmental impact report said, causing most of the acid to fall to the ground as an easily controlled liquid and reduces the potential for off-site consequences of an accidental HF release.. We need to ban MHF as soon as possible. Cliff and Donna Heise, for example, serve as secretary and treasurer of the TRAA, respectively. 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. The issues to be discussed include A decision not to use the ExxonMobil emergency siren to alert the community to the explosion and subsequent ash and dust fallout.. They heard a loud explosion, kind of like a sonic boom, said Jason Davis, who lives near the complex. 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.. But the consequences, according to federal investigators, could have been far worse: The explosion, investigators wrote in a report two years later, nearly released tons of modified hydrofluoric acid, potentially putting thousands in the South Bay at risk. The CSB also found that in multiple instances leading up to the incident, the refinery directly violated ExxonMobils corporate safety standards. Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. 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. More Stories Drone helps. 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. 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. Caltech officials said the explosion created ground shaking that was equivalent to a magnitude-1.7 earthquake. Explosion at Torrance refinery - Los Angeles Times4.3 earthquake strikes near LA, Internet asks 'why did it - MEAWW The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. 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. 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.
