Please enter valid email address to continue. Our Manhattan Beach office is physically closed at this time. 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. Let's get out of here. A smoke advisory was issued for areas near the ExxonMobil refinery due to Wednesday morning's explosion and fire. Times staff writer Tony Barboza contributed to this report. 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. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. Hahns February motion also asks the AQMDs refinery committee to provide an update on the status of safety improvements listed in the refineries proffers. CSB Chairperson Vanessa Allen Sutherland said, 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. The CSB notes that it is vital to ensure that safety critical equipment can successfully carry out its intended function. The incident caused the refinery to be . The explosion sent ash raining down on. 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. 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. The decision by the board came one week after the two refineries sent letters offering to install improved safety systems in the coming years if regulators ended their pursuit of new rules for the chemical. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Inside the refinery, the explosion blew off parts of an electrostatic precipitator and damaged other equipment at the plant. 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. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. Edited by Rachel Barnes. By then, the husband said, theyd been living in the city long enough to know exactly what the sound was. 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.. TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA Just before 9 a.m. on February 18, the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance, California exploded, shaking the surrounding community with the force of a 1.7 magnitude earthquake, and sending a quarter ton of sulfur oxide gas into the atmosphere. 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. More Stories Drone helps. The Supervisor knew the proffers were toothless, Odendahl said. April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Some said they heard one of the workers may have turned on the gas inside one of the apartments before it was completely ready. 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. Visit our website, www.csb.gov. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. 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. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. The cause of the fire, which Millea said burned an unspecified amount of crude oil, is under scrutiny by investigators from Cal-OSHA, the states worker safety agency, while a county hazardous materials team also was on the scene. Had we known then what we know now, Cliff Heise said, we wouldve run, not walked home.. 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. 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. We knew we were moving in next to a refinery it was here before we were, Cliff Heise said in an interview. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. Environmentalists and activists, though, argue that the additives levels in MHF have significantly decreased since the modified versions creation. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. 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. 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. The explosion was mostly contained to two of the buildings units, with each sustaining significant damage. The LA County Department of Public Health and former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra followed suit. 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. Alex Wigglesworth is an environment reporter who covers wildfires for the Los Angeles Times. And it directs L.A. County to support any new legislation that would help phase out MHF. Living in such close proximity to the refinery, Donna Heise said, makes it hard for the couple to ignore the chemicals potential dangers. Torrance school officials confirmed that staff and students sheltered in place due to possible air quality issues. Of the injured, two were said to have sustained significant injuries. Paige Austin, Patch Staff. 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. 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. No injuries were reported and there were no evacuations. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. 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.. 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. There have also been multiple safety enhancements to prevent leaks, they say. Following the explosion, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health shut down the part of the refinery where the accident occurred. Economic factors, such as job creation and the regional and global importance of oil, further complicate the issue, at least for elected officials. Valero, owner of the Wilmington refinery, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Posted Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 5:20 pm PT. California workplace regulators fined ExxonMobil more than $500 million for the violations related to the explosion. 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. No further details were immediately available. Deuel told The Associated Press the flare system was triggered to burn off fuel that could add to the fire. Those calls for a ban remain. So far though, it doesn't appear as if any serious damage or injuries have occurred, barring reported explosions in Torrance. Feb . 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.. 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. 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. Eight workers were decontaminated at the scene. For instance, the CSB found that during work leading up to the incident, workers violated corporate lock out tag out requirements. 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. 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.. He said the blast happened in a processing facility and the material involved was gasoline. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. While the unit where the blast occurred was ordered shut down, the rest of the refinery is still in operation. "Emergency procedures have been activated to address the incident, and employees are working with the appropriate agencies," a statement by the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery said. Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. Two others sustained minor injuries. The explosion, which happened . Every one of our lawyers is a Houston personal injury attorney whos undefeated in the courtroom and has recovered some of the largest verdicts and settlements in history. Four contractors at the plant suffered injuries and required medical treatment and eight workers had to be decontaminated. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Best coffee city in the world? Prior to joining the Press-Telegram, she served as the Daily Breeze's lead city hall reporter. When you think about it, she said, it makes you not want to sleep at night.. Homes shook in . 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. The refinery completed those improvements in 2020. For a breakdown of the fees and expenses associated with the verdicts and settlements listed on our site, please visit our Results page. Torrance firefighters responded to the 23500 block of Anza Avenue just before 1:20 p.m. Sunday. First published on April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM. All communications are private and confidential. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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). in journalism from the University of Southern California. 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. Activists held an event Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the explosion at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance that injured four workers. It appeared it was a gas explosion, but a hazardous materials team was on scene Sunday afternoon working to determine exactly what occurred. 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. 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. Community members who may have been impacted by the explosion can call the ExxonMobil claims hotline at 844-631-2539.