Large Explosion Prompts Fire, Police Response at Torrance ExxonMobil Refinery [CA]

[Bosonic]

Source: KTLA

The Torrance Fire Department was responding Wednesday morning after a “large explosion” was reported at the ExxonMobil Refinery.

The refinery “experienced an incident that occurred at approximately 8:50 a.m.,” ExxonMobil Spokesperson Gesuina Paras told KTLA in an emailed statement.

Residents had reported hearing an explosion coming from the direction and feeling the ground shake, Torrance fire Capt. Steve Deaul said.

Several KTLA viewers reported the shaking felt like an earthquake-type motion.

Read more: http://ktla.com/2015/02/18/residents-report-hearing-explosion-feeling-ground-shake-near-torrance-exxon-mobil-refinery/

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[AtheistCrusader]

1. This is going to happen more and more. Economic reality.

The profit in oil is drying up fast, with these depressed prices. No revenue means no maintenance. They will cut and slash and skimp everywhere they can, and investments in safety/maintenance are no exception.

Until fines, and revoked operating licenses cost them more than the money they want to save, OR until prices begin to rise, that won't change.

And that's raw capitalism in a nutshell.

[C Moon]

2. Whoa. That looks bad!

[shraby]

3. What Torrance are they talking about? There's no clue as to where

Torrance is located. For all I know it's in New Zealand.

[truthisfreedom]

5. Says NBCLA.com in the corner

[uppityperson]

7. I went to link, to map, it is CA in LA.

[C Moon]

10. It's around the corner from me :)

It's a city in So California, near the beach. Some big companies like Toyota (just left for Texas) have their corporate offices in Torrance. Also there a lot of aerospace companies in Torrance (big and small).

[JDPriestly]

13. California.

[irisblue]

4. Which state is Torrence in?

on my phone can't tell

[rwsanders]

16. California

[uppityperson]

6. Would you please add CA to your OP so we know what state? Thanks and

[Nuh Uh]

8. Just another reason to raise gas prices

Torrance is in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, it is between Palos Verdes and LAX. We see fires from the refinery during the spring when they are reengineering for the summer fuel additives. This particular explosion looks worse than usual though, so something else could have happened.

[C Moon]

11. I agree. Derailments on the east coast, and explosions on the west.

I wouldn't doubt something happening in Texas next.

[rwsanders]

17. In the 4 years I lived in CA, it was interesting to see how something would always happen when gas..

prices were low. A fire, something. Always some reason to push them back up.

[CentralMass]

23. It does seem like there is a "series of unfortunate events" that happen anytime the price per barr

stays low for awhile.

[Faux pas]

9. Yikes!!!!!

[hunter]

12. Anything to do with the refinery workers strike???

U.S. refinery strike enters 18th day as talks restart

HOUSTON Wed Feb 18, 2015 12:53pm EST

(Reuters) - The largest U.S refinery workers strike since 1980 entered its 18th day on Wednesday as union and oil company representatives prepared to renew face-to-face negotiations over pay and safety, after a week's hiatus.

More than 5,000 workers at 11 plants, including nine refineries accounting for 13 percent of U.S. production capacity, remained on strike with little sign of a quick end.

Face-to-face talks between representatives of the United Steelworkers union (USW) and lead oil company negotiator Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) have been on hold as the company compiled a reply to an information request from the union and weighed a counterproposal from the union.

The union's lead negotiator International Vice President Gary Beevers told Reuters in an interview on Monday that safe staffing levels at refineries and chemical plants remain a key sticking point. The union also wants wage increases.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/18/us-refineries-labor-strike-idUSKBN0LM1PZ20150218

The oil companies are using low level managers and "trained temporary replacement workers" to run the plants.

[Duval]

15. That's a good question! nt

[Myrina]

18. Look how filthy that whole area is ...

.... ugh. How can anyone think this is even remotely *ok* for our health / economy / environment ??

[Paulie]

19. Is it the one that is north east from the Marriott and Del Amo mall?

I used to watch gas flaring from a refinery from my hotel room when I was there on work trips.

[Zorro]

22. Yes

[mrdmk]

20. Oil refineries have explosions all of the time, most of them are minor

The Union 76 refinery in San Pedro, CA just had a couple of problems the other week. Just the nature of the beast.

As for raising the price of gasoline, the area is paying approx. $3.00 a gallon for regular.

This refinery will be shut-down for maybe a year according to the OP's news link. Yes, the price of gasoline will be higher.

[Lionel Mandrake]

21. Seven miles away it felt like a sonic boom, not like an earthquake.

In other words, there was a shock wave, but no ground motion.

The following map shows where Torrance is in Los Angeles County.