explosion also launched an 80,000-pound piece of equipment, failure to follow safety guidelines was partly to blame for the blast. On a day when activists marked the two-year anniversary of an explosion that rocked the then-ExxonMobil refinery and showered neighborhoods with industrial debris, another fire erupted at the troubled Torrance plant early Saturday. The shaking was felt primarily in the immediate vicinity of the refinery, according to Caltech. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . Hahns February motion also asks the AQMDs refinery committee to provide an update on the status of safety improvements listed in the refineries proffers. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. It appeared it was a gas explosion, but a hazardous materials team was on scene Sunday afternoon working to determine exactly what occurred. 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. Chairperson Sutherland said, Adoption of and adherence to a robust safety management process would have prevented these other incidents. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. 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. 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. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . All communications are private and confidential. 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 are still looking into the cause of the explosion, wh. Steve Deuel said. Edited by Rachel Barnes. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. 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County, Over $38M stolen from low-income SoCal families, Newport Beach home dangling after cliffside collapse, High-speed rail from L.A. to Vegas: What we know, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. 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 knew we were moving in next to a refinery it was here before we were, Cliff Heise said in an interview. 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. ExxonMobil said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon that "no harmful emissions have been detected.". 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.. The fiercest local opponent of MHF is the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance. When you think about it, she said, it makes you not want to sleep at night.. And so, the battle over MHFs future appears set to linger on with the Board of Supervisors call for a ban the latest volley. Fill Out the Form Below for a Free Case Review with our Undefeated Personal Injury Lawyers. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. 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. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobil's refinery in Torrance, California. 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. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. The explosion on Feb. 18, 2015, was described by federal regulators as a serious near miss.. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. And then the people who were right by just felt a shake, like an earthquake.. The blast caused serious property damage to the refinery and scattered catalyst dust up to a mile away from the facility into the nearby community. The 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 new campaign comes several months after air quality regulators killed a years-long push for stronger regulation of hydrofluoric acid at the two refineries. 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. Torrance firefighters . 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. Residents touted the move, introduced by Supervisor Janice Hahn and timed to the anniversary, while PBF, in a statement, criticized the county boards vote. Refinery spokeswoman Betsy Brien said the fire was quickly extinguished and the Del Amo Boulevard barriers were activated to close the road under an abundance of caution.. Some community members do not believe that the company did not enough to respond to the emergency. The couple was taking a stroll outside of North High Schools football field on the day of the 2015 explosion. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM / KCAL News. 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. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Best coffee city in the world? Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. Homes shook in . Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. There, too, the Torrance refinery has disagreed. Please enter valid email address to continue. In July 2016, the Torrance refinery was sold by ExxonMobil to PBF Holdings Company, LLC, which now operates as the Torrance Refining Company. 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. Instead, if a leak occurred, a ground-hugging liquid cloud would form, according to a 2018 report from the Torrance refinery defending its use of the chemical. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. Its been a few years now, and there has been very little progress.. At the center of that debate is the modified part of MHF. The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. 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. in communication and M.S. 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 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.. All safety systems at the refinery operated correctly and personnel were safe, police said. Those calls for a ban remain. 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. For decades, hydrofluoric acid was a standard chemical in oil refining, serving as a catalyst during a process known as alkylation. 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. "Our main concern is for the safety of our employees and our neighbors.". The refinery completed those improvements in 2020. Authorities said the incident happened around 6 a.m. and 36 firefighters responded to the refinery. 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 incident caused the refinery to be . 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. 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. 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. Four contractors at the plant suffered injuries and required medical treatment and eight workers had to be decontaminated. The LA County Department of Public Health and former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra followed suit. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. A Redondo Beach resident told NBC4 windows rattled at his house, about five miles from the refinery. The CSB is an independent, non-regulatory federal agency charged with investigating serious chemical incidents. proporcionarte nuestros sitios y aplicaciones; autenticar usuarios, aplicar medidas de seguridad y evitar el spam y los abusos, y. medir el uso que haces de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. The additive does this by ensuring the chemical used as a liquid during refining doesnt turn into a gas. Had the tank ruptured, it would have caused a release of MHF, which is highly toxic. 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. Officials were not aware of their exact conditions, but witnesses said some were seriously hurt.
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