Local News in Brief : Fire, Smoke Blamed on Power Failure
A power failure Friday morning at the Fletcher Oil refinery in Carson produced large flames and a billowing cloud of black smoke that was visible for miles.
Company Vice President Richard D. Erdman said the power outage knocked out controls on a refinery unit and excess gases were burned off through a flare, sending flames soaring 80 to 90 feet into the air. “It was rather spectacular because it went straight up,” Erdman said.
The 10-minute outage was caused by a battery failure in “a very critical piece of equipment” designed to supply uninterrupted power, he said.
A South Coast Air Quality Management District spokesman said the refinery will not be cited for violating air pollution laws because the smoke was the result of “a legitimate breakdown.”
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
