As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. Four were taken to hospitals. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. 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. That update was completed last year as well. 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. 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. 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. Edited by Rachel Barnes. 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. So far though, it doesn't appear as if any serious damage or injuries have occurred, barring reported explosions in Torrance. 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. 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.. Torrance firefighters . Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. 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 was so severe that it caused residents in the area to experience a shock similar to the effects of a 1.7 magnitude earthquake. 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. Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. 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 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. 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. It appeared it was a gas explosion, but a hazardous materials team was on scene Sunday afternoon working to determine exactly what occurred. 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 morning. Deuel told The Associated Press the flare system was triggered to burn off fuel that could add to the fire. "It was like a loud sonic boom. The explosion, which happened . Hutchings holds a B.A. / KCAL News. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. 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. Fire crews knocked down the blaze within 30 minutes. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. 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. Residents reported shaking normally associated with earthquakes throughout the South Bay area. 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.. 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. Torrance firefighters responded to the 23500 block of Anza Avenue just before 1:20 p.m. Sunday. There was also minor damage to two adjoining apartments, according to Millea. Caltech officials said the explosion created ground shaking that was equivalent to a magnitude-1.7 earthquake. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . 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.. 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. 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. Several residents noticed what they described as a larger-than-usual flame from the plant's towering flare stack. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. 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 refineries are required to provide quarterly updates to the agency.. Kristy Hutchings covers all things Long Beach including local government, politics, and the environment. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. Having affordable fuel that is readily available is a vital part of the California economy.. Meantime, the Torrance Refining Company hosted a safety rally for employees. Alex Wigglesworth is an environment reporter who covers wildfires for the Los Angeles Times. If you're interested in joining our team, you can apply for a position here. But we had no idea about the danger.. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. 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. For more than seven years, members of small, local activist groups have been irresponsibly making claims against the Refinerys use of MHF, without any basis in fact, Lafayette wrote recently. For a breakdown of the fees and expenses associated with the verdicts and settlements listed on our site, please visit our Results page. My first reaction was, this doesn't sound good, this doesn't look good. 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. The large turnout surprised even the diverse group of participants unaccustomed to seeing such political activism in a conservative community. 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 refinery previously said that the citys Fire Department has the sole responsibility to decide what tools to use, when to use them, and what area within the community to notify. At the bottom of a public notice explaining the Torrance Community Warning System, however, ExxonMobil has the ability to initiate the use of the Community Alert Sirens and Crenshaw Street Barriers if an incident at the refinery warrants immediate community notification., The Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee and the Environmental Quality Committee has planned a joint hearing to address the emergency response in the Torrance refinery explosion. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. The latest fire in an ongoing series of mishaps including leaks, excessive flaring and power outages that have plagued the refinery in recent months added fuel to the arguments of opponents that the plant is a safety and environmental hazard. 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. 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. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. 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. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. 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. First published on April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM. With the capacity to refine more than 150,000 barrels of gasoline a day, the . Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. People, Donna Heise said, are becoming more aware if nothing else over the last seven years.. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said.
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