U.S. Chemical Safety Board. 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. 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. 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. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. ExxonMobil's Torrance Refinery Sold Amid Report Of Potential Disaster Homes shook in . Refinery Explosion Shakes Earth and Probably Gas Prices The explosion sent ash raining down on vehicles parked near the sprawling 750-acre site and caused what one worker described as intense shaking. Four contractors at the plant suffered injuries and required medical treatment and eight workers had to be decontaminated. 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. The ExxonMobil near-disaster you probably haven't heard of 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. All communications are private and confidential. The proposal had plenty of support: Reps. Nanette Barragan, Ted Lieu and Maxine Waters wrote letters urging the AQMD to pass the rule and phase MHF out of Southern California. The CSB determined that on the day of the incident a slide valve that acted as a barrier failed. 4 Injured In Reported Explosion At Torrance Apartment Complex And Torrance receives about $7.5 million annually in utility user taxes from the refinerys operation. 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 we had no idea about the danger.. 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. 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. The incident caused the refinery to be . PBF also reached a separate agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to upgrade an additional water monitor in 2020, according to Lafayette. California Occupational Safety and Health officials were at the site investigating. The explosion was mostly contained to two of the buildings units, with each sustaining significant damage. 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. A Philadelphia native, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in medical anthropology and global health. 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. Torrance Refinery cited for failing to properly maintain equipment The Torrance refinery, however, also contributes significantly to the citys economy. All safety systems at the refinery operated correctly and personnel were safe, police said. "I just appreciate that I'm here. Explosion at Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance, California, injures four And it directs L.A. County to support any new legislation that would help phase out MHF. Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States. Chevron, for example, successfully converted its Salt Lake City refinery from HF to a new alkylation technology last year. Firefighters found gasoline flowing on the ground as a result of the explosion, Torrance Fire Department Capt. All the while, officials at those facilities have defended the chemicals use as safe. 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. The cause of the explosion was not known. 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 blast caused serious property damage to the refinery and scattered catalyst dust up to a mile away from the facility into the nearby community. Torrance firefighters . The refinery completed those improvements in 2020. / KCAL News. Unfortunately, ExxonMobil, the owner-operator of the refinery at the time of the accident, did not respond to the CSBs requests for information detailing safeguards to prevent or mitigate a release of MHF, and therefore the agency was unable to fully explore this topic in its final report. Four people were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in Torrance Sunday afternoon, officials said. The explosion also spurred a movement among residents to oppose MHF. If you're interested in joining our team, you can apply for a position here. Lieu commended the AQMD for its proposal to phase out the use of modified hydrofluoric acid at the plant, one of only two refineries in California to rely on MHF. Kim Baldonado, Patrick Healy, Jason Kandel, and Tena Ezzeddine contributed to this report. 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 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. Fire crews knocked down the blaze within 30 minutes. 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. It appeared it was a gas explosion, but a hazardous materials team was on scene Sunday afternoon working to determine exactly what occurred. 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. Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery Rocked by Large Explosion - KTLA in communication and M.S. The ExxonMobil Explosion That Nobody Is Talking About 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. 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. 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. That, the report said, would prevent the chemical from dispersing as widely as it would as an aerosol. 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. There was a "large fire explosion" at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery in Southern California on Wednesday morning, according to the Torrance Police Department. With the capacity to refine more than 150,000 barrels of gasoline a day, the . Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. She currently lives in Inglewood. Let's get out of here. Workers were seen boarded up the windows of the affected apartments later Sunday afternoon. Torrance firefighters responded to the 23500 block of Anza Avenue just before 1:20 p.m. Sunday. The respective responses were predictable: For years, both sides of this battle have zealously defended their positions. No injuries were reported and there were no evacuations. The explosion, the report said, launched a 40-ton piece of debris that nearly struck tanks carrying tens of thousands of pounds of MHF. Refineries are not supposed to have explosions. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but it was believed to be caused by over pressurization in the plants electrostatic precipitators. 4 Injured in Possible Gas Explosion at Torrance Apartment - KTLA They have lived in a neighborhood directly adjacent to the Torrance refinery for 48 years. But at least for now, environmentalists and the refineries remain entrenched in their positions. 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 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. While the unit where the blast occurred was ordered shut down, the rest of the refinery is still in operation. Prior to joining the Press-Telegram, she served as the Daily Breeze's lead city hall reporter. 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.. With the addition of these voluntary safety enhancements and other obligations completed and operating, we have fulfilled our obligation to further protect Refinery personnel and the community, Lafayette said. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. Explosion at Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance, California, injures four 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Final CSB Report of Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, CA The large turnout surprised even the diverse group of participants unaccustomed to seeing such political activism in a conservative community. Three dozen firefighters knocked down the blaze within a half-hour. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobils refinery in Torrance, California. 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). Other than the affected crude unit, the refinery continues to operate, Brien said. And those who run the Torrance facility also say its refinery hasnt experienced an off-site leak of either HF or MHF since it opened in 1966. In 2017, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board published a 73-page report on the explosion. Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. On Saturday, the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance announced a campaign urging Gov. 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. 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. 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. 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. For a while, though, flames shot 40 feet into the air. The shaking was felt primarily in the immediate vicinity of the refinery, according to Caltech. 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. More information will be added as soon as it becomes available. 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. 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. 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.