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. 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.. Community members who may have been impacted by the explosion can call the ExxonMobil claims hotline at 844-631-2539. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. A powerful blast at an ExxonMobil oil refinery rocked Torrance, California, on Wednesday. CSB Releases Final Report into 2015 Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in 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. 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. Three were treated and released. The explosion, which happened . TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. With the capacity to refine more than 150,000 barrels of gasoline a day, the . 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 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. Explosion Rips Through Torrance Refinery, Shakes South Bay 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 proposal had plenty of support: Reps. Nanette Barragan, Ted Lieu and Maxine Waters wrote letters urging the AQMD to pass the rule and phase MHF out of Southern California. However, our staff is working remotely and can assist you via phone or email. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. Edited by Rachel Barnes. Thousands of people could have been harmed if the MHF had dispersed beyond the Torrance refinery in 2015, the CSB report said. 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. 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. 4 Injured in Possible Gas Explosion at Torrance Apartment - KTLA This explosion and near miss should not have happened, and likely would not have happened, had a more robust process safety management system been in place, then-CSB Chairwoman Vanessa Allen Sutherland said in a statement at the time. 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. 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 . 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. The shaking was felt primarily in the immediate vicinity of the refinery, according to Caltech. Across California, CA | News | 15h. They heard a loud explosion, kind of like a sonic boom, said Jason Davis, who lives near the complex. Watch: Explosion reported at ExxonMobil refinery in California That, the report said, would prevent the chemical from dispersing as widely as it would as an aerosol. 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. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . 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. That update was completed last year as well. ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion in Torrance, CA - Zehl & Associates 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). The explosion occurred in the refinerys fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, where a variety of products, mainly gasoline, are produced. 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 explosion sent ash raining down on vehicles parked near the sprawling 750-acre site and caused what one worker described as intense shaking. Fire erupts at Torrance refinery just hours before protest rally ExxonMobil's Torrance Refinery Sold Amid Report Of Potential Disaster 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 firefighters responded to the 23500 block of Anza Avenue just before 1:20 p.m. Sunday. 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.. More information will be added as soon as it becomes available. 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. Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. / KCAL News. Cliff and Donna Heise, for example, serve as secretary and treasurer of the TRAA, respectively. There have also been multiple safety enhancements to prevent leaks, they say. The ExxonMobil Explosion That Nobody Is Talking About The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. 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. 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. All rights reserved. CSB Chairperson Vanessa Allen Sutherland said, This explosion and near miss should not have happened, and likely would not have happened, had a more robust process safety management system been in place. 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. Fill Out the Form Below for a Free Case Review with our Undefeated Personal Injury Lawyers. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery Rocked by Large Explosion - KTLA 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.. Those improvements were completed in 2021 and are now in service, Lafayette 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. 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you're interested in joining our team, you can apply for a position here. No injuries were reported and there were no evacuations. The refineries are the only two in the state that use the substance. There was a "large fire explosion" at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery in Southern California on Wednesday morning, according to the Torrance Police Department. Redondo Beach News, Breaking News in Redondo Beach, CA "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. "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.". But in the years since the 2015 explosion, residents have continued decrying MHF. All safety systems at the refinery operated correctly and personnel were safe, police said. If that was the case, we wouldnt have seen another explosion today, she added. California workplace regulators fined ExxonMobil more than $500 million for the violations related to the explosion. But at least for now, environmentalists and the refineries remain entrenched in their positions. All the while, officials at those facilities have defended the chemicals use as safe. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . 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. Residents touted the move, introduced by Supervisor Janice Hahn and timed to the anniversary, while PBF, in a statement, criticized the county boards vote. The explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. Hire a Houston personal injury lawyer with a proven track record. There was also minor damage to two adjoining apartments, according to Millea. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM All Rights Reserved. Three of them were taken to a nearby hospital, authorities said, after earlier indicating all four had been transported. ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion Injures Two, Rains Ash Upon - Patch Officials were investigating the cause of the over-pressurization. Caltech officials said the explosion created ground shaking that was equivalent to a magnitude-1.7 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. 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. 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. Activists held an event Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the explosion at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance that injured four workers. Theyre going to pass it on to the consumer.. 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. Fire, explosion reported at Torrance Refinery, police say The cause of the explosion was not known. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. 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. An ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance injured two, caused a 1.7 magnitude shake and portends pain at the pumps. 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. Some community members do not believe that the company did not enough to respond to the emergency. Homes shook in . 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. The fire was reported to the South Coast Air Quality Management District and California Office of Emergency Services, police said. God may not warn us again.. 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. "It was like a loud sonic boom. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the explosion, wh. 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 improvements, though, also came after sustained pressure from the community and watchdog agencies. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. The Supervisor knew the proffers were toothless, Odendahl said. Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. ET), but there was no . 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. Another fire? The motion the LA County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed in mid-February asks Gov. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM / KCAL News. 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. 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. Our Manhattan Beach office is physically closed at this time. 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. Officials were not aware of their exact conditions, but witnesses said some were seriously hurt. There, too, the Torrance refinery has disagreed. The Torrance Police Department issued an alert for the city, notifying them that the Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery had an explosion and fire early Saturday morning. 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. Inside the refinery, the explosion blew off parts of an electrostatic precipitator and damaged other equipment at the plant. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California - NBC News Prior to joining the Press-Telegram, she served as the Daily Breeze's lead city hall reporter. Fire crews knocked down the blaze within 30 minutes. Torrance Refinery cited for failing to properly maintain equipment They have lived in a neighborhood directly adjacent to the Torrance refinery for 48 years. "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. 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. 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. The four victims were found suffering varying degrees on injuries. in communication and M.S. 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. 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. 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. 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.. 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. No further details were immediately available. 6 Min Read. Tammy Khan, of the Torrance Unified School District, said the shetler-in-place order was lifted early Wednesday afternoon. Feb . Had we known then what we know now, Cliff Heise said, we wouldve run, not walked home.. 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. So far though, it doesn't appear as if any serious damage or injuries have occurred, barring reported explosions in Torrance. 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.

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