Torrance Official Urges City to Look Into Closing Mobil

Questioning the safety of Mobil Oil Co.’s Torrance refinery, City Councilman Dan Walker said Saturday that the city should investigate whether it can shut the refinery as a health hazard.

“It really appears that Mobil is slipping and slipping and slipping,” Walker said one day after the fifth serious accident since November. “I don’t know whether it is the age of the facility or the operation of the company. We can’t have that kind of operation hanging over the head of the city.”

Earlier last week, a consulting firm began an $88,000 industrial safety audit of the Mobil plant for the city.

Mayor Katy Geissert, while not endorsing Walker’s declaration, indicated that there is a problem at the plant.

“It’s grisly to even think about the frequency (with which) this is occurring. It seems obvious to me there are some problems in supervision,” she said Saturday.

Series of Plant Accidents

In addition to Friday’s explosion and small fire, which injured two workers, accidents have included: an explosion and fire that burned for two days in November, a fatal fall in March, and two explosions July 15 that killed one worker and injured 10 others.

Mobil spokesman Jim Carbonetti called the series of accidents unfortunate, adding that the refinery’s major modernization projects show its commitment to safety.

“We are concerned, as I am sure our neighbors are and the city of Torrance (is), with what has happened,” Carbonetti said.

Carbonetti said the oil company would comply with any recommendations in the safety audit. Mobil has agreed to reimburse the city for the audit.

Walker usually supports business, but Saturday he said the situation at Mobil--particularly because of its use of deadly hydrofluoric acid--can no longer be tolerated.

“We’ve got to start finding out what kind of action we as a city can take and stop waiting for other regulatory agencies and departments to take a leadership position,” he said.

Mobil should justify “why it should be remaining open. It should be proving to the city that they can operate safely. Everything they have done in the last few years has led me to believe that they cannot operate safely,” he said.

In the wake of the November explosion and fire, which released 100 pounds of hydrofluoric acid, the South Coast Air Quality Management District established a task force to study whether it should ban the use of the chemical at the refinery.

Walker said one major accident with the chemical “is all it would take to have a catastrophic situation in the South Bay.”

“If the city attorney told me we had the authority to order them to change their method of production to get rid of the hydrogen fluoride gas, I would do it tomorrow.”

Safety Audit Lauded

Geissert said she believes that the city’s audit, which began Monday, “is going in the right direction.”

Councilwoman Dee Hardison said she is uncertain whether the city has the power to shut down the plant but is sympathetic with Walker’s stance. ‘You get sick and tired with what is happening, and you say enough is enough,” she said.

The four other council members could not be reached for comment.

Carbonetti said that “whatever comes out of the safety study, if there are some things that come out that show we need to improve some areas, we will certainly do that. We welcome the safety study so that when it is done, the people of Torrance and our neighbors feel more comfortable with our operation.”

Refinery Cited by OSHA

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated the November explosion, citing Mobil for five serious safety violations. The company paid a $4,000 fine. It is contesting one citation alleging that safety relief valves on the tank that exploded were not properly adjusted for the potential reaction between hydrofluoric acid and potassium hydroxide.

Friday’s accident injured two people when heated crude oil spewed from a pipe and hydrocarbon vapors ignited. The fire was extinguished in 30 minutes.

Ronald Wagoner, 30, a contract worker at the refinery, was burned over 40% of his body and was in serious condition Saturday at Torrance Memorial Hospital Medical Center. Rudy E. Chavez, 40, of San Pedro, a Mobil employee, was treated Friday at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance for bruises, lacerations and smoke inhalation.