The motion the LA County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed in mid-February asks Gov. A Philadelphia native, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in medical anthropology and global health. 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. The explosion, the report said, launched a 40-ton piece of debris that nearly struck tanks carrying tens of thousands of pounds of MHF. 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. It provides 362 jobs around $30 million in wages in Torrance, according to its website. Fill out the form below for a free case review with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. 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. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. Instead, if a leak occurred, a ground-hugging liquid cloud would form, according to a 2018 report from the Torrance refinery defending its use of the chemical. The fiercest local opponent of MHF is the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. 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). 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. 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.. If that was the case, we wouldnt have seen another explosion today, she added. 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. 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. 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 so, the battle over MHFs future appears set to linger on with the Board of Supervisors call for a ban the latest volley. 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. Three were treated and released. Hahn who left the agencys board in December 2019 was one of two votes opposed to accepting the proffers. More Stories Drone helps. 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. in journalism from the University of Southern California. Tammy Khan, of the Torrance Unified School District, said the shetler-in-place order was lifted early Wednesday afternoon. Another fire? So far though, it doesn't appear as if any serious damage or injuries have occurred, barring reported explosions in Torrance. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. / KCAL News. 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. 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 . The work of the Safety Auditor was overseen by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge and approved prior to use of MHF at the refinery.. By then, the husband said, theyd been living in the city long enough to know exactly what the sound was. But we had no idea about the danger.. Kristy Hutchings covers all things Long Beach including local government, politics, and the environment. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. I urge SCAQMD to act with urgency, said the South Bay Democrat. The AQMDs own reports warned that the ability of MHF to prevent formation of a vapor/aerosol cloud is highly uncertain and that a release of MHF will result in exposure to HF with the same health effects.. 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. U.S. Chemical Safety Board. 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. 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.. 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. Refineries are not supposed to have explosions. The CSB also found that in multiple instances leading up to the incident, the refinery directly violated ExxonMobils corporate safety standards. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage. People, Donna Heise said, are becoming more aware if nothing else over the last seven years.. 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. 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. Let's get out of here. Officials were not aware of their exact conditions, but witnesses said some were seriously hurt. Chairperson Sutherland said, Adoption of and adherence to a robust safety management process would have prevented these other incidents. Following the explosion, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health shut down the part of the refinery where the accident occurred. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news. Ryan Zehl is the lawyer responsible for this website. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. All safety systems at the refinery operated correctly and personnel were safe, police said. They claim nothing has been done, she added, without any proof, other than their beliefs, which are incorrect and misleading.. Officials were investigating the cause of the over-pressurization. TORRANCE (CBSLA) Firefighters say four people have been injured in a reported explosion at an apartment complex in Torrance. Eight workers were decontaminated at the scene. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. 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. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. Homes shook in . Torrance school officials confirmed that staff and students sheltered in place due to possible air quality issues. 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. 1750 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 910 | Washington, DC 20006. Passing motorists supplied supportive honks. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. 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. Residents reported shaking normally associated with earthquakes throughout the South Bay area. Community members who may have been impacted by the explosion can call the ExxonMobil claims hotline at 844-631-2539. "I was having my cup of coffee and all of the sudden the whole house shook, the windows vibrated," said Torrance resident John White. 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. 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. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. A blast was reported at the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance, California. Steve Deuel said. 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. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. California Occupational Safety and Health officials were at the site investigating. California workplace regulators fined ExxonMobil more than $500 million for the violations related to the explosion. At the center of that debate is the modified part of MHF. Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the explosion, wh. 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. The governors office confirmed they received the request, but declined further comment. PBF Energy, which now owns the Torrance Refining Co. refinery, denied that an explosion occurred. Other than the affected crude unit, the refinery continues to operate, Brien said. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. 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. 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. 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. 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. The large turnout surprised even the diverse group of participants unaccustomed to seeing such political activism in a conservative community. 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.. If you're interested in joining our team, you can apply for a position here. That update was completed last year as well. The fire was reported to the South Coast Air Quality Management District and California Office of Emergency Services, police 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. Organizers estimated the crowd size at more than 400. Edited by Rachel Barnes. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. Four were taken to hospitals. Hahns February motion also asks the AQMDs refinery committee to provide an update on the status of safety improvements listed in the refineries proffers. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. 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 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. Valero, owner of the Wilmington refinery, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Theyre going to pass it on to the consumer.. Kim Baldonado, Patrick Healy, Jason Kandel, and Tena Ezzeddine contributed to this report. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. She currently lives in Inglewood. Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. Had the tank ruptured, it would have caused a release of MHF, which is highly toxic. "I just appreciate that I'm here. Those safety advances, however, have come since the 2015 explosion and a harsh assessment by federal investigators. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but it was believed to be caused by over pressurization in the plants electrostatic precipitators. "Our main concern is for the safety of our employees and our neighbors.". 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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. 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. Posted Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 5:20 pm PT. 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.. 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.. Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates There was a "large fire explosion" at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery in Southern California on Wednesday morning, according to the Torrance Police Department. 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. The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. The respective responses were predictable: For years, both sides of this battle have zealously defended their positions. In 2017, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board published a 73-page report on the explosion. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. in communication and M.S. Some said they heard one of the workers may have turned on the gas inside one of the apartments before it was completely ready. With the capacity to refine more than 150,000 barrels of gasoline a day, the . And then the people who were right by just felt a shake, like an earthquake.. 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 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. Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. A powerful blast at an ExxonMobil oil refinery rocked Torrance, California, on Wednesday. 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. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. They heard a loud explosion, kind of like a sonic boom, said Jason Davis, who lives near the complex. The incident caused the refinery to be . 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. 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. 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. No injuries were reported and there were no evacuations. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Environmentalists and concerned residents say MHF could prove catastrophic if the chemical were to escape, pointing to its corrosivity and studies that show its ability to travel beyond a refinerys footprint. 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. That, the report said, would prevent the chemical from dispersing as widely as it would as an aerosol. First thing I thought was to call my wife, my kids, and let them know I'm safe.". The LA County Department of Public Health and former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra followed suit. 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. We knew we were moving in next to a refinery it was here before we were, Cliff Heise said in an interview. The Heises, for their part, are still working to educate residents in Torrance and Wilmington about their MHF concerns and are grateful the issue is still being monitored. It appeared it was a gas explosion, but a hazardous materials team was on scene Sunday afternoon working to determine exactly what occurred. 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. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion at a Torrance oil refinery that sent four workers to the hospital. On Saturday, the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance announced a campaign urging Gov. 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. The rule would have required a gradual phase-out of MHF usage at both refineries, requiring an alternative catalyst, such as sulfuric acid. TORRANCE TODAY is a 15-minute live news broadcast airing Monday. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. 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. My first reaction was, this doesn't sound good, this doesn't look good. explosion also launched an 80,000-pound piece of equipment, failure to follow safety guidelines was partly to blame for the blast. Firefighters found gasoline flowing on the ground as a result of the explosion, Torrance Fire Department Capt. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. Workers were seen boarded up the windows of the affected apartments later Sunday afternoon. "It was like a loud sonic boom. 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. 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. 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. Additional locations: Dallas, TX | Midland, TX | Odessa, TX | Louisiana, Plant Explosion Lawyer Refinery & Pipeline, Railroad Crossing Accidents and Train Accidents, Longshore & Harbor Workers Compensation Act. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. 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.. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen, cell 202-446-8094 or email public@csb.gov. The SCAQMD didnt comment on Hahns request for the organization to reexamine the viability of alternative technologies to MHF, some of which may be more commercially available than they were at the time of the vote. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. PBF, for its part, has repeatedly said concerns from local groups against MHF were unwarranted. While the unit where the blast occurred was ordered shut down, the rest of the refinery is still in operation. Hire a Houston personal injury lawyer with a proven track record. "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.". 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. 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.