explosion in torrance today

For decades, hydrofluoric acid was a standard chemical in oil refining, serving as a catalyst during a process known as alkylation. Torrance school officials confirmed that staff and students sheltered in place due to possible air quality issues. More information will be added as soon as it becomes available. ET), but there was no . 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. All rights reserved. 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. However, our staff is working remotely and can assist you via phone or email. Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. The governors office confirmed they received the request, but declined further comment. The fiercest local opponent of MHF is the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance. 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. Redondo Beach Local News. So far though, it doesn't appear as if any serious damage or injuries have occurred, barring reported explosions in Torrance. Passing motorists supplied supportive honks. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. 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. There, too, the Torrance refinery has disagreed. 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). 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. First thing I thought was to call my wife, my kids, and let them know I'm safe.". 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. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. The improvements, though, also came after sustained pressure from the community and watchdog agencies. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. On Saturday, the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance announced a campaign urging Gov. 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. 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. 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. 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. "Our main concern is for the safety of our employees and our neighbors.". ExxonMobil said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon that "no harmful emissions have been detected.". 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. 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. And so, the battle over MHFs future appears set to linger on with the Board of Supervisors call for a ban the latest volley. Hahn who left the agencys board in December 2019 was one of two votes opposed to accepting the proffers. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news. 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. People, Donna Heise said, are becoming more aware if nothing else over the last seven years.. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. 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. The incident caused the refinery to be . April 8, 2018 / 2:50 PM / KCAL News. 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. U.S. Chemical Safety Board. And it directs L.A. County to support any new legislation that would help phase out MHF. Environmentalists and activists, though, argue that the additives levels in MHF have significantly decreased since the modified versions creation. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. 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. Feb . MHF opponents have also expressed concerns that the refineries havent done enough to ensure the communities safety. 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. Workers were seen boarded up the windows of the affected apartments later Sunday afternoon. God may not warn us again.. Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. Local battle over toxic chemical at Torrance,, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Local battle over toxic chemical at Torrance, Wilmington refineries continues, Baby girl Winter of Lake Arrowhead is born amid raging blizzard, Texas congressman who broke with GOP is censured, Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China, More Iranian schoolgirls sickened in suspected poisoning wave, explosion that rocked the Torrance Refinery, according to a 2018 report from the Torrance refinery defending its use of the chemical, protests and intensified public pressure from such activists, Heres why AQMD committee chose enhanced safety measures over a ban on MHF at refineries in Wilmington and Torrance, LA public health official urges phasing out MHF chemical at Torrance, Wilmington refineries, Activists call for state investigation into use of toxic chemical at two South Bay refineries, Court rules ExxonMobil must give feds crucial data on 2015 Torrance refinery explosion, Explosion at Torrance ExxonMobil refinery injures 4; spike in gas prices expected, Alpine Village shopkeepers get confirmation: theyre being evicted, San Pedro Fish Market bids a sad goodbye to legacy location, Alpine Village, for decades a German American hub, faces unknown future, Appeals court ruling in Lunada Bay Boys case could make cities liable for surf localism, Gracie Abrams behind Good Riddance message in Los Angeles sky, Tax filing deadline moves to mid-October for most Californians, 6 suspects wanted for holding up armored cars for $550,000-plus in Hawthorne, LA and Inglewood, California weighs $360,000 in reparations to eligible Black residents, Hermosa Beach Police arrest 2 men suspected in shooting attempt, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The explosion, which happened . 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. 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. 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. The 2015 explosion at the Torrance Refinery was bad, but it easily could have been catastrophic, Hahn said in a press release. A reaction between hydrocarbons and catalyst takes place in what is known as the hydrocarbon side of the FCC unit. 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 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. Principal Office: Houston Texas. Eight workers were decontaminated at the scene. Of the injured, two were said to have sustained significant injuries. 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 motion the LA County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed in mid-February asks Gov. Three of them were taken to a nearby hospital, authorities said, after earlier indicating all four had been transported. Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates There were also questions asking why the emergency refinery sirens did not sound following the accident. There was a "large fire explosion" at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery in Southern California on Wednesday morning, according to the Torrance Police Department. 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. Finally, the slide valve - a safety-critical safeguard within the system - was degraded significantly. Firefighters found gasoline flowing on the ground as a result of the explosion, Torrance Fire Department Capt. 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. 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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Caltech officials said the explosion created ground shaking that was equivalent to a magnitude-1.7 earthquake. Electrostatic precipitators are large machines that stand12 stories high and weigh more than 1,000 tons. The refineries are the only two in the state that use the substance. Steve Deuel said. Hire a Houston personal injury lawyer with a proven track record. 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.. Really? read one of the signs carried by chanting marchers who endured a steady downpour to protest the use of toxic hydrofluoric acid at the refinery. 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.. Numerous nearby residents complained about the air quality following the blast. PBF Energy, which now owns the Torrance Refining Co. refinery, denied that an explosion occurred. All safety systems at the refinery operated correctly and personnel were safe, police said. 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. A powerful blast at an ExxonMobil oil refinery rocked Torrance, California, on Wednesday. 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. There was also minor damage to two adjoining apartments, according to Millea. If that was the case, we wouldnt have seen another explosion today, she added. More Stories Drone helps. 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. Gen. Xavier Becerras office investigate how the Torrance and Wilmington refineries are able to legally operate using hydrofluoric acid. The Torrance Fire Department responded to an explosion at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery on Feb. 18, 2015. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. 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. I wish the Torrance City Council had the courage to say that.. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. 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. 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. Meantime, the Torrance Refining Company hosted a safety rally for employees. The building has been undergoing renovations for some time, and the victims are believed to be remodelers working in one of the involved units, neighbors said. 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.. All the while, officials at those facilities have defended the chemicals use as safe. 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. Fill out the form below for a free case review with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. 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. Four contractors at the plant suffered injuries and required medical treatment and eight workers had to be decontaminated. This is a breaking news story. Kim Baldonado, Patrick Healy, Jason Kandel, and Tena Ezzeddine contributed to this report. Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. The four victims were found suffering varying degrees on 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. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. 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 LA County Department of Public Health and former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra followed suit. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. The explosion was mostly contained to two of the buildings units, with each sustaining significant damage. 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. And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. 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. 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. 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. In July 2016, the Torrance refinery was sold by ExxonMobil to PBF Holdings Company, LLC, which now operates as the Torrance Refining Company. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobil's refinery in Torrance, California. The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. 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. In September, the South Coast Air Quality Management District governing board voted instead to accept a voluntary oil industry pledge to enhance safety measures. TORRANCE TODAY - FEBRUARY 16, 2023 - City of Torrance TorranceCitiCABLE 4.15K subscribers 113 views 1 day ago #184 1. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The CSB notes that it is vital to ensure that safety critical equipment can successfully carry out its intended function. 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. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. 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. All communications are private and confidential. Officials were investigating the cause of the over-pressurization. Zehl & Associates is always looking for smart, hardworking and talented personal injury attorneys and staff to join our team. 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. Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. 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. 6 Min Read. 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. Our Manhattan Beach office is physically closed at this time. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. Liz Odendahl, Hahns spokeswoman, said in an interview that the supervisor was furious at the AQMDs decision to accept the refineries proffers. Ryan Zehl is the lawyer responsible for this website. 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. Other than the affected crude unit, the refinery continues to operate, Brien said. Living in such close proximity to the refinery, Donna Heise said, makes it hard for the couple to ignore the chemicals potential dangers. Those safety advances, however, have come since the 2015 explosion and a harsh assessment by federal investigators. 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.. The explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. Four apartments have been damaged, two of which sustained "significant damage.". 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. Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. Fire crews knocked down the blaze within 30 minutes. 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. 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. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. 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.. The CSBs report concludes that the unit was operating without proper procedures.. In working with inherently dangerous products, it is critical to conduct a robust risk management analysis with the intent of continually safety improvement.. Those improvements were completed in 2021 and are now in service, Lafayette said. Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year. The CSB is an independent, non-regulatory federal agency charged with investigating serious chemical incidents. 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. A Philadelphia native, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in medical anthropology and global health. It was unclear what caused the fire. 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. 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. "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. 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. Theyre going to pass it on to the consumer.. 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.. 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. 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. The CSB determined that on the day of the incident a slide valve that acted as a barrier failed. The cause of the explosion was not known. 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. Economic factors, such as job creation and the regional and global importance of oil, further complicate the issue, at least for elected officials. Community members who may have been impacted by the explosion can call the ExxonMobil claims hotline at 844-631-2539. 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. A smoke advisory was issued for areas near the ExxonMobil refinery due to Wednesday morning's explosion and fire. All rights reserved. And then the people who were right by just felt a shake, like an earthquake.. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. 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