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. 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. / KCAL News. 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. 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. Prior to joining the Press-Telegram, she served as the Daily Breeze's lead city hall reporter. But we had no idea about the danger.. It provides 362 jobs around $30 million in wages in Torrance, according to its website. "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.". There were also questions asking why the emergency refinery sirens did not sound following the accident. Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. "It was like a loud sonic boom. 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.. All Rights Reserved. The explosion, which happened . Gavin Newsom to call for an investigation into the use of modified hydrofluoric acid at the facility, now operated by Torrance Refining Co., as well as by Valeros Wilmington refinery. Three of them were taken to a nearby hospital, authorities said, after earlier indicating all four had been transported. California Occupational Safety and Health officials were at the site investigating. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. All communications are private and confidential. Its been a few years now, and there has been very little progress.. Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates Hahn who left the agencys board in December 2019 was one of two votes opposed to accepting the proffers. 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. Economic factors, such as job creation and the regional and global importance of oil, further complicate the issue, at least for elected officials. 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. 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. There was also minor damage to two adjoining apartments, according to Millea. 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. 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. 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. More information will be added as soon as it becomes available. 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. "Our main concern is for the safety of our employees and our neighbors.". 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. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. 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. 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. The four victims were found suffering varying degrees on injuries. Cliff and Donna Heise, for example, serve as secretary and treasurer of the TRAA, respectively. 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. 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. Tests have shown that MHF, which Torrance has used since 1997, rapidly expands upon release and can travel at lethal concentrations up to two miles, according to a presentation from AQMD staff. 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 governors office confirmed they received the request, but declined further comment. Some said they heard one of the workers may have turned on the gas inside one of the apartments before it was completely ready. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. 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.. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. On Saturday, the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance announced a campaign urging Gov. For instance, the CSB found that during work leading up to the incident, workers violated corporate lock out tag out requirements. 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. Several residents noticed what they described as a larger-than-usual flame from the plant's towering flare stack. The AQMD estimated that replacing the MHF alkylation units with a safer sulfuric acid unit would cost the Torrance refinery about $900 million, and could temporarily impact gasoline supply and cost. PUBLISHED: February 18, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. | UPDATED: February 18, 2023 at 8:01 a.m. It's been eight years since a massive explosion at the Torrance Refinery shook the South Bay with the blast. 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. 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. In July 2016, the Torrance refinery was sold by ExxonMobil to PBF Holdings Company, LLC, which now operates as the Torrance Refining Company. The Torrance Fire Department responded to an explosion at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery on Feb. 18, 2015. 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. 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. The SCAQMD didnt comment on Hahns request for the organization to reexamine the viability of alternative technologies to MHF, some of which may be more commercially available than they were at the time of the vote. 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. But at least for now, environmentalists and the refineries remain entrenched in their positions. There, too, the Torrance refinery has disagreed. 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. 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. No injuries were reported and there were no evacuations. 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.. The explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. The fire was reported to the South Coast Air Quality Management District and California Office of Emergency Services, police said. Environmentalists and activists, though, argue that the additives levels in MHF have significantly decreased since the modified versions creation. One person remained hospitalized with a knee injury. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. It was unclear what caused the fire. Theyre going to pass it on to the consumer.. 46,739 visits in the last 30 days. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. 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. 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. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. We are very proud of the many technical advances we have added to our Alkylation Unit over the years, the refinery says on its website, which is additional proof of our continuing commitment to safe, reliable operations.. With the capacity to refine more than 150,000 barrels of gasoline a day, the . 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.. Other than the affected crude unit, the refinery continues to operate, Brien said. 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. There was a "large fire explosion" at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery in Southern California on Wednesday morning, according to the Torrance Police Department. They claim nothing has been done, she added, without any proof, other than their beliefs, which are incorrect and misleading.. The refineries are the only two in the state that use the substance. Ryan Zehl is the lawyer responsible for this website. 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. Some community members do not believe that the company did not enough to respond to the emergency. Hire a Houston personal injury lawyer with a proven track record. Chairperson Sutherland said, There are valuable lessons to be learned and applied at this refinery, and to all refineries in the U.S. Keeping our refineries operating safely is critical to the well-being of the employees and surrounding communities, as well as to the economy.. 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. PBF, for its part, has repeatedly said concerns from local groups against MHF were unwarranted. Feb . 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. 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. The cause of the fire, which Millea said burned an unspecified amount of crude oil, is under scrutiny by investigators from Cal-OSHA, the states worker safety agency, while a county hazardous materials team also was on the scene. 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. 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. 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. TORRANCE TODAY - FEBRUARY 16, 2023 - City of Torrance TorranceCitiCABLE 4.15K subscribers 113 views 1 day ago #184 1. Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. Many in the neighborhood reported being startled by a large blast. Kristy Hutchings covers all things Long Beach including local government, politics, and the environment. No further details were immediately available. In September, the South Coast Air Quality Management District governing board voted instead to accept a voluntary oil industry pledge to enhance safety measures. He said the blast happened in a processing facility and the material involved was gasoline. While the unit where the blast occurred was ordered shut down, the rest of the refinery is still in operation. Had we known then what we know now, Cliff Heise said, we wouldve run, not walked home.. 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. Four were taken to hospitals. 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. The couple was taking a stroll outside of North High Schools football field on the day of the 2015 explosion. The explosion on Feb. 18, 2015, was described by federal regulators as a serious near miss.. The CSB investigation also discovered that a large piece of debris from the explosion narrowly missed hitting a tank containing tens of thousands of pounds of modified hydrofluoric acid, or MHF. Passing motorists supplied supportive honks. 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. 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. We knew we were moving in next to a refinery it was here before we were, Cliff Heise said in an interview. All communications are private and confidential. PBF also reached a separate agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to upgrade an additional water monitor in 2020, according to Lafayette. 6 Min Read. 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. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. This is a breaking news story. 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. 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. The CSB also found that in multiple instances leading up to the incident, the refinery directly violated ExxonMobils corporate safety standards. Gen. Xavier Becerras office investigate how the Torrance and Wilmington refineries are able to legally operate using hydrofluoric acid. 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. 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. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for any areas where residents can see or smell smoke. 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. She currently lives in Inglewood. Robert Millea said he couldnt immediately confirm whether an explosion actually occurred, only that one was reported. 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. 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. If that was the case, we wouldnt have seen another explosion today, she added. 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. California workplace regulators fined ExxonMobil more than $500 million for the violations related to the explosion. I urge SCAQMD to act with urgency, said the South Bay Democrat. Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. A smoke advisory was issued for areas near the ExxonMobil refinery due to Wednesday morning's explosion and fire. Our Manhattan Beach office is physically closed at this time. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion at a Torrance oil refinery that sent four workers to the hospital. The 2015 explosion at the Torrance Refinery was bad, but it easily could have been catastrophic, Hahn said in a press release. 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. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California. 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 Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. First thing I thought was to call my wife, my kids, and let them know I'm safe.". 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. Overturned gas tanker explodes, killing 1 person, Texas mom in custody after 5 of her kids were stabbed, leaving 3 dead, Ja Morant says he'll get help after video shows apparent gun. Caltech officials said the explosion created ground shaking that was equivalent to a magnitude-1.7 earthquake. Fill Out the Form Below for a Free Case Review with our Undefeated Personal Injury Lawyers. 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. Inside the refinery, the explosion blew off parts of an electrostatic precipitator and damaged other equipment at the plant. All rights reserved. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. The CSB determined that on the day of the incident a slide valve that acted as a barrier failed. Edited by Rachel Barnes. Paige Austin, Patch Staff. 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. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . They have lived in a neighborhood directly adjacent to the Torrance refinery for 48 years. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Having affordable fuel that is readily available is a vital part of the California economy.. 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. Fire crews knocked down the blaze within 30 minutes. 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. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. And those who run the Torrance facility also say its refinery hasnt experienced an off-site leak of either HF or MHF since it opened in 1966. In 2017, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board published a 73-page report on the explosion. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. 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. Let's get out of here. 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. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. 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. And so, the battle over MHFs future appears set to linger on with the Board of Supervisors call for a ban the latest volley. 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. Organizers estimated the crowd size at more than 400. The CSB notes that it is vital to ensure that safety critical equipment can successfully carry out its intended function. 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. 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. The cause of the explosion was not known. Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. 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 . I wish the Torrance City Council had the courage to say that.. 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. Chairperson Sutherland said, Adoption of and adherence to a robust safety management process would have prevented these other incidents. Principal Office: Houston Texas. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. The additive does this by ensuring the chemical used as a liquid during refining doesnt turn into a gas. 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.. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. 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.. My first reaction was, this doesn't sound good, this doesn't look good. 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. It appeared it was a gas explosion, but a hazardous materials team was on scene Sunday afternoon working to determine exactly what occurred.
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