Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year. We need to ban MHF as soon as possible. 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. Watch: Explosion reported at ExxonMobil refinery in California ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion in Torrance, CA - Zehl & Associates ExxonMobil said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon that "no harmful emissions have been detected.". 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. California oil refinery blast sends flames shooting into sky The fire was reported to the South Coast Air Quality Management District and California Office of Emergency Services, police said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. California workplace regulators fined ExxonMobil more than $500 million for the violations related to the explosion. For decades, hydrofluoric acid was a standard chemical in oil refining, serving as a catalyst during a process known as alkylation. 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. Those safety advances, however, have come since the 2015 explosion and a harsh assessment by federal investigators. Feb . 6 Min Read. Local battle over toxic chemical at Torrance, Wilmington refineries The state could potentially lose thousands of jobs, and it could result in higher gasoline prices at the pump for California residents, businesses, and government, Californians for a Sustainable Economy an association representing hundreds of local businesses wrote in opposition to the ban. 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. At the center of that debate is the modified part of MHF. Those calls for a ban remain. 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.. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen, cell 202-446-8094 or email public@csb.gov. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. They heard a loud explosion, kind of like a sonic boom, said Jason Davis, who lives near the complex. Some community members do not believe that the company did not enough to respond to the emergency. Blast Blamed on Gas Buildup - Los Angeles Times Ryan Zehl is the lawyer responsible for this website. If you're interested in joining our team, you can apply for a position here. 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. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. 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. The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. 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. Visit our website, www.csb.gov. Refinery Explosion Shakes Earth and Probably Gas Prices Had the tank ruptured, it would have caused a release of MHF, which is highly toxic. The incident caused the refinery to be . Explosion, fire at ExxonMobil refinery rocks Torrance The incident was reported around 1:15 p.m. on the 23500 block of Anza Avenue, just . 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. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. PST . 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. 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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. 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. Activists held an event Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the explosion at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance that injured four workers. Four apartments have been damaged, two of which sustained "significant damage.". "I was having my cup of coffee and all of the sudden the whole house shook, the windows vibrated," said Torrance resident John White. There was also minor damage to two adjoining apartments, according to Millea. 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. 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. Fire, explosion reported at Torrance Refinery, police say Thousands of people could have been harmed if the MHF had dispersed beyond the Torrance refinery in 2015, the CSB report said. One person remained hospitalized with a knee injury. The machines are responsible for reducing ammonia and particulate emissions in a plant to comply with environmental regulations. (Credit: KTLA) The blast at the refinery, which is located in the 3700 block of West . 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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. 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. Activists marking Torrance refinery explosion anniversary call for The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for any areas where residents can see or smell smoke. 4.3 earthquake strikes near LA, Internet asks 'why did it - MEAWW Valero, owner of the Wilmington refinery, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. 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. 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. 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. 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. ExxonMobil was fined more than $500 million for workplace violations related to the blast. Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage. 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 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. Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. 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. 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. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. The explosion occurred in the refinerys fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, where a variety of products, mainly gasoline, are produced. 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. We voluntarily enhanced the Alkylation Units robust, layered safety systems already considered by experts to be amongst the most advanced in the world, Lafayette wrote, by installing additional safety enhancements.. Electrostatic precipitators are large machines that stand12 stories high and weigh more than 1,000 tons. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 'Large fire explosion' rocks ExxonMobil's Torrance Refinery in 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 shaking was felt primarily in the immediate vicinity of the refinery, according to Caltech. Eight workers were decontaminated at the scene. 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.. Having affordable fuel that is readily available is a vital part of the California economy.. PBF Energy, which now owns the Torrance Refining Co. refinery, denied that an explosion occurred. Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Edited by Rachel Barnes. Another fire? This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Several residents noticed what they described as a larger-than-usual flame from the plant's towering flare stack. 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. Homes shook in . But HF is highly corrosive, posing a threat to nearby communities if it were dispersed as a gas during a fire, explosion or the like. But at least for now, environmentalists and the refineries remain entrenched in their positions. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. 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. Officials were investigating the cause of the over-pressurization. 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. 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. California Occupational Safety and Health officials were at the site investigating. The cause of the explosion was not known. 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. 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.. 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.. 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. All communications are private and confidential. 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.. Two others sustained minor injuries. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials 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. Residents reported shaking normally associated with earthquakes throughout the South Bay area. The explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. Liz Odendahl, Hahns spokeswoman, said in an interview that the supervisor was furious at the AQMDs decision to accept the refineries proffers. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. 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. The Torrance Fire Department responded to an explosion at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery on Feb. 18, 2015. 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. They claim nothing has been done, she added, without any proof, other than their beliefs, which are incorrect and misleading.. California fire crews respond to ExxonMobil refinery explosion - CBS News 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 rule would have required a gradual phase-out of MHF usage at both refineries, requiring an alternative catalyst, such as sulfuric acid. No injuries were reported and there were no evacuations. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. Anza Avenue had been closed for a few hoursas emergency personnel responded. 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. Of the injured, two were said to have sustained significant injuries. 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. 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. And then the people who were right by just felt a shake, like an earthquake.. 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.