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. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. An ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance injured two, caused a 1.7 magnitude shake and portends pain at the pumps. 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. PBF also reached a separate agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to upgrade an additional water monitor in 2020, according to Lafayette. One person remained hospitalized with a knee injury. A Philadelphia native, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in medical anthropology and global health. The CSB determined that on the day of the incident a slide valve that acted as a barrier failed. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. All rights reserved. For decades, hydrofluoric acid was a standard chemical in oil refining, serving as a catalyst during a process known as alkylation. 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. Some said they heard one of the workers may have turned on the gas inside one of the apartments before it was completely ready. Tammy Khan, of the Torrance Unified School District, said the shetler-in-place order was lifted early Wednesday afternoon. The CSB is an independent, non-regulatory federal agency charged with investigating serious chemical incidents. Valero, owner of the Wilmington refinery, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Its been a few years now, and there has been very little progress.. TORRANCE TODAY - FEBRUARY 16, 2023 - City of Torrance TorranceCitiCABLE 4.15K subscribers 113 views 1 day ago #184 1. Had the tank ruptured, it would have caused a release of MHF, which is highly toxic. The refinery completed those improvements in 2020. The large turnout surprised even the diverse group of participants unaccustomed to seeing such political activism in a conservative community. Having affordable fuel that is readily available is a vital part of the California economy.. The Torrance Fire Department responded to an explosion at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery on Feb. 18, 2015. Four apartments have been damaged, two of which sustained "significant damage.". The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. 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.. God may not warn us again.. I wish the Torrance City Council had the courage to say that.. 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. 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. In working with inherently dangerous products, it is critical to conduct a robust risk management analysis with the intent of continually safety improvement.. 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. ET), but there was no . At the center of that debate is the modified part of MHF. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen, cell 202-446-8094 or email public@csb.gov. 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. 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. 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. 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. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. 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. 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California. 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. 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. 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. Notably absent from the event was any sign of Torrance elected officials, although police officers in several patrol cars discreetly kept their eye on the peaceful protesters from a distance. The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. 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 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. If you're interested in joining our team, you can apply for a position here. 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. Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. Eight workers were decontaminated at the scene. Authorities said the incident happened around 6 a.m. and 36 firefighters responded to the refinery. A powerful blast at an ExxonMobil oil refinery rocked Torrance, California, on Wednesday. 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. 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. Three of them were taken to a nearby hospital, authorities said, after earlier indicating all four had been transported. The improvements, though, also came after sustained pressure from the community and watchdog agencies. 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. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. PBF Energy, which now owns the Torrance Refining Co. refinery, denied that an explosion occurred. 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. ExxonMobil said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon that "no harmful emissions have been detected.". The explosion also launched an 80,000-pound piece of equipment within feet of a structure that housed a highly volatile and toxic substance, modified hydrofluoric acid. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. 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. That, the report said, would prevent the chemical from dispersing as widely as it would as an aerosol. All communications are private and confidential. In July 2016, the Torrance refinery was sold by ExxonMobil to PBF Holdings Company, LLC, which now operates as the Torrance Refining Company. 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. 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. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. California workplace regulators fined ExxonMobil more than $500 million for the violations related to the explosion. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The CSB also found that in multiple instances leading up to the incident, the refinery directly violated ExxonMobils corporate safety standards. 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. 46,739 visits in the last 30 days. 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 governors office confirmed they received the request, but declined further comment. 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.. That update was completed last year as well. 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. 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. Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. 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 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 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. Those safety advances, however, have come since the 2015 explosion and a harsh assessment by federal investigators. 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. Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. First thing I thought was to call my wife, my kids, and let them know I'm safe.". "Our main concern is for the safety of our employees and our neighbors.". The rule would have required a gradual phase-out of MHF usage at both refineries, requiring an alternative catalyst, such as sulfuric acid. 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. 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. 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. 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.
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