Having affordable fuel that is readily available is a vital part of the California economy.. 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. The additive does this by ensuring the chemical used as a liquid during refining doesnt turn into a gas. 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.
4 Injured in Possible Gas Explosion at Torrance Apartment - KTLA The refinery completed those improvements in 2020. The refineries arent going to eat that cost, William Burke, former chairman of the SCAQMDs governing board said in a previous interview. We need to ban MHF as soon as possible. All rights reserved. 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.. 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. 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.
Explosion at Torrance refinery - Los Angeles Times 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. By then, the husband said, theyd been living in the city long enough to know exactly what the sound was. The Supervisor knew the proffers were toothless, Odendahl said. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. First thing I thought was to call my wife, my kids, and let them know I'm safe.". 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. 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. In February, a large explosion occurred at ExxonMobil's refinery in Torrance, California. Before joining the newsroom in 2016, she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. ExxonMobil was fined more than $500 million for workplace violations related to the blast. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Zehl & Associates is always looking for smart, hardworking and talented personal injury attorneys and staff to join our team. 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. Times staff writer Tony Barboza contributed to this report.
Economic factors, such as job creation and the regional and global importance of oil, further complicate the issue, at least for elected officials. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. 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. Congresswoman Maxine Waters and I requested the U.S. Chemical Safety Board to investigate the explosion two years ago, Lieu said in the statement. Those improvements were completed in 2021 and are now in service, Lafayette said. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. 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. But at the time, theyd never heard of MHF and didnt think much of it. The explosion sent ash raining down on. Inside the refinery, the explosion blew off parts of an electrostatic precipitator and damaged other equipment at the plant. The motion also instructs county departments to review existing health and safety measures related to MHF including emergency precautions in case of an accidental leak. 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.
TORRANCE TODAY - FEBRUARY 16, 2023 - City of Torrance Its unclear what effect these new calls to action will have on the refineries MHF usage.
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 AQMD scrapped the potential ban in 2019 instead accepting proffers from both refineries that promised to make safety enhancements to their existing MHF units. Manhattan Beach, CA crime, fire and public safety news and events, police & fire department updates Since the February 2015 explosion, the refinery has experienced multiple incidents. ExxonMobil said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon that "no harmful emissions have been detected.". 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. 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.
Explosion Rips Through Torrance Refinery, Shakes South Bay 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. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. 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. The explosion, the report said, launched a 40-ton piece of debris that nearly struck tanks carrying tens of thousands of pounds of MHF. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not impact anything offsite. 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. They claim nothing has been done, she added, without any proof, other than their beliefs, which are incorrect and misleading.. 2022 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. 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. 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 rule would have required a gradual phase-out of MHF usage at both refineries, requiring an alternative catalyst, such as sulfuric acid. "I have second thoughts about being out here right now," said resident Anthony Scales. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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 Torrance Police Department issued an alert for the city, notifying them that the Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery had an explosion and fire early Saturday morning. Homes shook in . The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for any areas where residents can see or smell smoke. 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. ET), but there was no . 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. 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.. 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. 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. Let's get out of here. The large turnout surprised even the diverse group of participants unaccustomed to seeing such political activism in a conservative community. 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.
Final CSB Report of Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, CA Torrance News - ABC7 Los Angeles Liz Odendahl, Hahns spokeswoman, said in an interview that the supervisor was furious at the AQMDs decision to accept the refineries proffers. The explosion filled surrounding neighborhoods with ash, fiberglass, and glass wool. 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. Living in such close proximity to the refinery, Donna Heise said, makes it hard for the couple to ignore the chemicals potential dangers. Bontas office said it hadnt received a letter from the county. 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..
Fire erupts at Torrance refinery just hours before protest rally Redondo Beach Local News. 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. Still, the explosion led to further safety measures, some the refineries put in voluntarily and others they did so essentially at the behest of government agencies. A powerful blast at an ExxonMobil oil refinery rocked Torrance, California, on Wednesday. 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.
Fire, explosion reported at Torrance Refinery, police say Here's your go-to source for today's LA news. A reaction between hydrocarbons and catalyst takes place in what is known as the hydrocarbon side of the FCC unit.
Redondo Beach News, Breaking News in Redondo Beach, CA 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. They have not yet completed their final investigation, and I will be asking the Chemical Safety Board to include todays fire and explosion as part of their investigation.. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. 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 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.. Torrance fire Capt. Its been a few years now, and there has been very little progress.. Hahn who left the agencys board in December 2019 was one of two votes opposed to accepting the proffers.
ExxonMobil's Torrance Refinery Sold Amid Report Of Potential Disaster 6 Min Read. However, our staff is working remotely and can assist you via phone or email. Tammy Khan, of the Torrance Unified School District, said the shetler-in-place order was lifted early Wednesday afternoon.
Torrance firefighters responded to the 23500 block of Anza Avenue just before 1:20 p.m. Sunday. The incident was reported around 1:15 p.m. on the 23500 block of Anza Avenue, just . 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. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. 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. My first reaction was, this doesn't sound good, this doesn't look good. The bottom line is Torrance Refinery now has the most advanced safety systems of any HF Alkylation Unit in California, the U.S., and the world.. The fire was reported to the South Coast Air Quality Management District and California Office of Emergency Services, police said. The explosion, which happened . The refineries are the only two in the state that use the substance. 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. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. There have also been multiple safety enhancements to prevent leaks, they say. 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. 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. Meantime, the Torrance Refining Company hosted a safety rally for employees. Explosion Rocks ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Explosion at Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance, California, injures four 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. 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. Im absolutely appalled, said Torrance teacher Julie Stoll, referring to the lack of support from Torrance officials. 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. The LA County Department of Public Health and former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra followed suit. Kim Baldonado, Patrick Healy, Jason Kandel, and Tena Ezzeddine contributed to this report.
The ExxonMobil Explosion That Nobody Is Talking About Torrance firefighters . 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.
Torrance Refinery cited for failing to properly maintain equipment Had the tank ruptured, it would have caused a release of MHF, which is highly toxic. Other than the affected crude unit, the refinery continues to operate, Brien said. 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. 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. "You could feel it," said refinery worker Jason Hernandez. 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. 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.
Activists marking Torrance refinery explosion anniversary call for We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved.
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. 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.. 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. And it directs L.A. County to support any new legislation that would help phase out MHF. The cause of the explosion was not known. 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. And then the people who were right by just felt a shake, like an earthquake.. PBF Energy, which now owns the Torrance Refining Co. refinery, denied that an explosion occurred. Principal Office: Houston Texas. As a result, unraveling the debates complexities remains challenging. She currently lives in Inglewood. 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. / KCAL News. The incident caused the refinery to be . Two others sustained minor injuries.