Local News in Brief : Small Fire at Refinery
A small fire Thursday in a sulfur plant at the Mobil Oil refinery filled the air in a section of Torrance with an odor akin to that of rotten eggs, according to residents who complained to the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Torrance Fire Department.
The air “smelled like a bathroom being cleaned,” said Joe Gulano, a public defender who was at the Los Angeles County Courthouse in Torrance, close to the refinery.
Mobil spokesman James A. Carbonetti said a fire in a sulfur plant caused the release of a large concentration of hydrogen sulfide. “There is no doubt that we caused the odor,” he said.
Carbonetti said the fire was put out by the refinery’s fire brigade. He said Mobil will investigate the cause of the fire.
The refinery was the scene of a major explosion and fire on Nov. 24, which injured four people, shattered windows in nearby homes and businesses, and caused millions of dollars damage.
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