Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. An explosion at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance today sent a plume of black smoke in the air and caused ash to cascade down on the area, but there were only two minor injuries. Hahn who left the agencys board in December 2019 was one of two votes opposed to accepting the proffers. Some said they heard one of the workers may have turned on the gas inside one of the apartments before it was completely ready. Kim Baldonado, Patrick Healy, Jason Kandel, and Tena Ezzeddine contributed to this report. 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. 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. 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. Weekend clouds make way for sunshine by midweek, CA awaits key decisions from reparations task force, LAPD looking for autistic man last seen in downtown, Ducks assistant coach diagnosed with melanoma, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, LAPD searching for driver in fatal San Pedro hit-and-run, 1 killed amid turbulence event on business jet, Grizzlies Morant to miss Clippers, Lakers games, Festival of Whales returns to Dana Point Harbor, AlienCon attracting space enthusiasts to Pasadena, Folks near Jack Daniels facility see whiskey fungus, Suspect arrested in overnight DTLA stabbing, Commission blasts former sheriff on alleged deputy, House where JonBent Ramsey was found dead up for, 3 arrested for nearly $1 million in stolen student, Carjacking suspect shot in wild chase in L.A. 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. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. U.S. Chemical Safety Board. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. Steve Deuel said. The refineries are the only two in the state that use the substance. 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. ET), but there was no . 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. 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. 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.
TORRANCE TODAY - FEBRUARY 16, 2023 - City of Torrance 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. 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. Numerous nearby residents complained about the air quality following the blast. Three of them were taken to a nearby hospital, authorities said, after earlier indicating all four had been transported. 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.
Fire, explosion reported at Torrance Refinery, police say 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. Two others sustained minor injuries.
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. She currently lives in Inglewood. 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. Torrance firefighters . 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 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. 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. 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.. A Redondo Beach resident told NBC4 windows rattled at his house, about five miles from the refinery. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California. All Rights Reserved. I urge SCAQMD to act with urgency, said the South Bay Democrat. Of the injured, two were said to have sustained significant injuries. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. 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). 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.
Explosion at Torrance refinery - Los Angeles Times Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour.
4 Injured in Possible Gas Explosion at Torrance Apartment - KTLA Following the explosion, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health shut down the part of the refinery where the accident occurred. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. With the capacity to refine more than 150,000 barrels of gasoline a day, the . 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. 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Torrance officials said there was no chemical release and a citywide shelter-in-place order is not necessary, but those near the site should keep windows closed. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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 governors office confirmed they received the request, but declined further comment.
Manhattan Beach Crime & Safety News | Manhattan Beach, CA Patch 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. 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. It appeared it was a gas explosion, but a hazardous materials team was on scene Sunday afternoon working to determine exactly what occurred. 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. 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. Our Manhattan Beach office is physically closed at this time.
California fire crews respond to ExxonMobil refinery explosion - CBS News Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. They heard a loud explosion, kind of like a sonic boom, said Jason Davis, who lives near the complex. 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. Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. PBF, for its part, has repeatedly said concerns from local groups against MHF were unwarranted. Many in the neighborhood reported being startled by a large blast. The refinery completed those improvements in 2020. in journalism from the University of Southern California. ExxonMobil was fined more than $500 million for workplace violations related to the blast. 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.. There, too, the Torrance refinery has disagreed. All communications are private and confidential. Times staff writer Tony Barboza contributed to this report. And then the people who were right by just felt a shake, like an earthquake..
Torrance Refinery cited for failing to properly maintain equipment There have also been multiple safety enhancements to prevent leaks, they say. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. 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. Environmentalists and activists, though, argue that the additives levels in MHF have significantly decreased since the modified versions creation. By then, the husband said, theyd been living in the city long enough to know exactly what the sound was. People, Donna Heise said, are becoming more aware if nothing else over the last seven years.. In July 2016, the Torrance refinery was sold by ExxonMobil to PBF Holdings Company, LLC, which now operates as the Torrance Refining Company. One person remained hospitalized with a knee injury. 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. More information will be added as soon as it becomes available. 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.
ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion Injures Two, Rains Ash Upon - Patch The explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. 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. 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 South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for any areas where residents can see or smell smoke. Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion at a Torrance oil refinery that sent four workers to the hospital. Those safety advances, however, have come since the 2015 explosion and a harsh assessment by federal investigators. Homes shook in .
The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but it was believed to be caused by over pressurization in the plants electrostatic precipitators. We need to ban MHF as soon as possible. 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. Caltech officials said the explosion created ground shaking that was equivalent to a magnitude-1.7 earthquake. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. 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. Its been a few years now, and there has been very little progress.. "I was having my cup of coffee and all of the sudden the whole house shook, the windows vibrated," said Torrance resident John White. 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.. explosion also launched an 80,000-pound piece of equipment, failure to follow safety guidelines was partly to blame for the blast. 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. Thousands of people could have been harmed if the MHF had dispersed beyond the Torrance refinery in 2015, the CSB report said. Posted Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 5:20 pm PT. 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.. For decades, hydrofluoric acid was a standard chemical in oil refining, serving as a catalyst during a process known as alkylation. TORRANCE TODAY - FEBRUARY 16, 2023 - City of Torrance TorranceCitiCABLE 4.15K subscribers 113 views 1 day ago #184 1. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. "I just appreciate that I'm here. 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. 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. A smoke advisory was issued for areas near the ExxonMobil refinery due to Wednesday morning's explosion and fire. 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. 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. Firefighters found gasoline flowing on the ground as a result of the explosion, Torrance Fire Department Capt. 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. PBF also reached a separate agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to upgrade an additional water monitor in 2020, according to Lafayette. Community members who may have been impacted by the explosion can call the ExxonMobil claims hotline at 844-631-2539. 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.. 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. The additive does this by ensuring the chemical used as a liquid during refining doesnt turn into a gas. "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.". 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. 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. 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. Zehl & Associates is always looking for smart, hardworking and talented personal injury attorneys and staff to join our team. Its unacceptable we were put in harms way, said Daphne Wong, who added that she does not believe the official line that Torrance is a safe community. 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.
Final CSB Report of Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, CA 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 explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. An ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance injured two, caused a 1.7 magnitude shake and portends pain at the pumps. Torrance school officials confirmed that staff and students sheltered in place due to possible air quality issues. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. 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. 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.
CSB Releases Final Report into 2015 Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in There was a "large fire explosion" at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery in Southern California on Wednesday morning, according to the Torrance Police Department.
Advocates renew call for MHF ban on 8th anniversary of Torrance That, the report said, would prevent the chemical from dispersing as widely as it would as an aerosol. Hutchings holds a B.A. The couple was taking a stroll outside of North High Schools football field on the day of the 2015 explosion. TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. The four victims were found suffering varying degrees on injuries. That update was completed last year as well. 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.
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