God may not warn us again.. Torrance fire Capt. No further details were immediately available. 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. More information will be added as soon as it becomes available. U.S. Chemical Safety Board. For a breakdown of the fees and expenses associated with the verdicts and settlements listed on our site, please visit our Results page. 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. Three of them were taken to a nearby hospital, authorities said, after earlier indicating all four had been transported. I wish the Torrance City Council had the courage to say that.. Ryan Zehl is the lawyer responsible for this website. Our Manhattan Beach office is physically closed at this time. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. "It was like a loud sonic boom. Officials were not aware of their exact conditions, but witnesses said some were seriously hurt. Alex Wigglesworth is an environment reporter who covers wildfires for the Los Angeles Times. Four apartments have been damaged, two of which sustained "significant damage.". 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. All the while, officials at those facilities have defended the chemicals use as safe. Gen. Xavier Becerras office investigate how the Torrance and Wilmington refineries are able to legally operate using hydrofluoric acid. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the explosion, wh. The CSB determined that on the day of the incident a slide valve that acted as a barrier failed. The incident was reported around 1:15 p.m. on the 23500 block of Anza Avenue, just . 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. In 2017, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board published a 73-page report on the explosion. Electrostatic precipitators are large machines that stand12 stories high and weigh more than 1,000 tons. Kim Baldonado, Patrick Healy, Jason Kandel, and Tena Ezzeddine contributed to this report. Fill out the form below for a free case review with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. 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. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. 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. PUBLISHED: February 18, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. | UPDATED: February 18, 2023 at 8:01 a.m. It's been eight years since a massive explosion at the Torrance Refinery shook the South Bay with the blast. 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 TODAY is a 15-minute live news broadcast airing Monday. 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 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. 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. 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. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. 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. It provides 362 jobs around $30 million in wages in Torrance, according to its website. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen, cell 202-446-8094 or email public@csb.gov. Four contractors at the plant suffered injuries and required medical treatment and eight workers had to be decontaminated. The incident was reported around 1:15 p.m. on the 23500 block of Anza Avenue, just north of the Pacific Coast Highway, Assistant Torrance Fire Chief Robert Millea said. 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Still, the explosion led to further safety measures, some the refineries put in voluntarily and others they did so essentially at the behest of government agencies. Firefighters found gasoline flowing on the ground as a result of the explosion, Torrance Fire Department Capt. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. 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. 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. That 2015 blast registered as a small earthquake that shook nearby houses, injured four of the facilitys workers and covered the area in dust and ash. 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. No injuries were reported and there were no evacuations. People, Donna Heise said, are becoming more aware if nothing else over the last seven years.. 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.. Please enter valid email address to continue. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. The AQMD scrapped the potential ban in 2019 instead accepting proffers from both refineries that promised to make safety enhancements to their existing MHF units. Robert Millea said he couldnt immediately confirm whether an explosion actually occurred, only that one was reported. At the center of that debate is the modified part of MHF. It was unclear what caused the fire. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. That update was completed last year as well. Prior to joining the Press-Telegram, she served as the Daily Breeze's lead city hall reporter. But at least for now, environmentalists and the refineries remain entrenched in their positions. An ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance injured two, caused a 1.7 magnitude shake and portends pain at the pumps. One person remained hospitalized with a knee injury. Both the PBF and Valero refineries are situated in densely populated areas of the South Bay: About 245,000 people live within three miles of the Torrance refinery and another 153,000 live within that same distance of Valeros refinery, AQMD said. 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. The refinery has been under constant scrutiny since the explosion as small fires and flare ups have been reported since and raised concern among residents living nearby. 1750 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 910 | Washington, DC 20006. 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. 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. 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. First published on April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM. My first reaction was, this doesn't sound good, this doesn't look good. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Environmentalists and activists, though, argue that the additives levels in MHF have significantly decreased since the modified versions creation. Some said they heard one of the workers may have turned on the gas inside one of the apartments before it was completely ready. 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. Kristy Hutchings covers all things Long Beach including local government, politics, and the environment. Residents touted the move, introduced by Supervisor Janice Hahn and timed to the anniversary, while PBF, in a statement, criticized the county boards vote. 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. Torrance firefighters responded to the 23500 block of Anza Avenue just before 1:20 p.m. Sunday. Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but it was believed to be caused by over pressurization in the plants electrostatic precipitators. 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 explosion sent ash raining down on. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. Four were taken to hospitals. 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 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, 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. The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. A Redondo Beach resident told NBC4 windows rattled at his house, about five miles from the refinery. The respective responses were predictable: For years, both sides of this battle have zealously defended their positions. 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. 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 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. Following the explosion, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health shut down the part of the refinery where the accident occurred. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. There were also questions asking why the emergency refinery sirens did not sound following the accident. Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. 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. A reaction between hydrocarbons and catalyst takes place in what is known as the hydrocarbon side of the FCC unit. 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. 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. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . But in the years since the 2015 explosion, residents have continued decrying MHF. Minor injuries were reported after the explosion ripped apart structures at the oil refinery and shook homes for miles around the blast site in southern Los Angeles County. 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. Overturned gas tanker explodes, killing 1 person, Texas mom in custody after 5 of her kids were stabbed, leaving 3 dead, Ja Morant says he'll get help after video shows apparent gun. Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. 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.. They heard a loud explosion, kind of like a sonic boom, said Jason Davis, who lives near the complex. A powerful blast at an ExxonMobil oil refinery rocked Torrance, California, on Wednesday. The explosion, the report said, launched a 40-ton piece of debris that nearly struck tanks carrying tens of thousands of pounds of MHF. All Rights Reserved. In working with inherently dangerous products, it is critical to conduct a robust risk management analysis with the intent of continually safety improvement.. ExxonMobil said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon that "no harmful emissions have been detected.". The latest salvo in the battle over MHF came last month, when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors called for a ban on the highly toxic chemical. In September, the South Coast Air Quality Management District governing board voted instead to accept a voluntary oil industry pledge to enhance safety measures. 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.. 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. 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. For instance, the CSB found that during work leading up to the incident, workers violated corporate lock out tag out requirements. Since then, at least one leak of hydrofluoric acid and several fires have prompted the South Coast Air Quality Management District to propose a ban on hydrofluoric acid. Torrance school officials confirmed that staff and students sheltered in place due to possible air quality issues. The CSBs report concludes that the unit was operating without proper procedures.. 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 CSB also found that in multiple instances leading up to the incident, the refinery directly violated ExxonMobils corporate safety standards. Torrance firefighters . All communications are private and confidential. 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. Let's get out of here. 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. 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. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion at a Torrance oil refinery that sent four workers to the hospital. Passing motorists supplied supportive honks. 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.. 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. All rights reserved. 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. The additive does this by ensuring the chemical used as a liquid during refining doesnt turn into a gas. MHF opponents have also expressed concerns that the refineries havent done enough to ensure the communities safety. North Torrance resident Daphne Wong, her husband, Eng, and their three children, ages 5 to 9, all walked to the refinery together despite the rain. Its been a few years now, and there has been very little progress..
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