Massive fire erupts at LA-area Chevron refinery in El Segundo

EL SEGUNDO – As firefighters continued to mop up and assess damage Friday after a massive explosion and fire at the Chevron El Segundo Refinery that burned for more than nine hours, concerns mounted about the area’s supply of jet fuel.

No injuries have been reported as a result of the fire at the oil processing plant, which was reported just after 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

Witnesses who live in the area reported hearing a blast, then seeing a wall of flames upon going outside. The fire could be seen from several  miles away.
Video from the location showed orange flames leaping toward the night sky.

The last of the visible flames were extinguished about 7:15 a.m. Friday, according to Fox 11 helicopter coverage.

No evacuation orders were issued. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the nearby Manhattan Beach’s Tree Section Neighborhood due to the fire and was lifted after 2 a.m. Friday.

The fire was confined to a jet fuel production unit at the refiner, sources told Reuters.

“The fire broke out in the refinery’s Isomax 7 unit, which converts mid-distillate fuel oil into jet fuel, two sources told the news agency. “The reformer and the fluid catalytic cracker were shut, losing more than 100,000-barrels per day gasoline output, a trader said, citing Wood Mackenzie.”

The refinery is the “largest producing oil refinery on the West Coast, processing more than 276,000 barrels of crude per day,” according to the plant’s website.

According to Reuters, the refinery is California’s second-largest, and Chevron’s second-largest in the U.S., supplying a fifth of all motor vehicle fuels and 40% of the jet fuel used in the isolated southern California market.

California’s largest refinery is Marathon Oil Corp.’s Los Angeles Refinery in nearby Carson.

“The incident took place at a processing unit located near the southeast corner of the facility,” Ross Allen, adviser at Chevron, USA Corporate Affairs, said in an emailed statement. “Following Chevron’s active response along with support from the cities of El Segundo and Manhattan Beach emergency services, the fire is now out. As a result, Chevron has launched an internal investigation to determine the cause.

“Throughout the night, Chevron’s emergency response team has been actively managing the situation with a primary focus on ensuring the safety of employees, responders and the community. All personnel and contractors have been accounted for, and no injuries have been reported. As a precautionary measure, Chevron’s Health Safety and Environmental team has been conducting mobile air monitoring in the community.”

Allen said the company “is actively working with local, state and federal agencies, including CalOSHA, CALOSPR and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, who were notified and are monitoring the incident.”

Chevron is also providing information updates to The California Energy Commission is also being updated, he said.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchel, whose district includes El Segundo and who also serves on the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board of Directors, issued a statement Friday afternoon saying the fire was “fully extinguished,” with no reported injuries.

“Throughout this incident, I have been in contact with El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel, who has briefed me and has also been in communication with Chevron to ensure that the fire was contained,” she said. “I have also connected with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) on the status of air quality, and it has reported that there were some elevated levels of volatile organic compounds at both refinery fence line and community monitors. As of 9:30 (Friday) morning, the levels at these monitors are currently at safe threshold levels. AQMD will continue to monitor the air quality and as the situation is evolving.”

Nonetheless, AQMD was advising residents to remain indoors if they see or smell smoke and keep their doors and windows closed. It was also suggested that residents run a HEPA air purifier if available.

Gov. Gavin Newsom “has been briefed on the incident,” according to a statement from his office, which “is coordinating in real time with local and state agencies to protect the surrounding community and ensure public safety.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote on social media that she has been briefed on the fire and spoken with Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, whose Second District includes El Segundo.

The Los Angeles Fire Department “stands at the ready to assist with any mutual aid request,” Bass wrote, adding “there is no known impact to” Los Angeles International Airport.

Fire crews from the refinery’s on-site fire department and the El Segundo Fire Department, which train together for such emergencies, fought the blaze by shooting streams of water at it.

Traffic was diverted away from the scene while road closures were put in place along nearby streets such as Rosecrans Avenue from Vista Del Mar to Pacific Coast Highway and along PCH from Rosecrans to El Segundo Boulevard. (CNS)

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