Torrance Files 4th Complaint Against Mobil
In the fourth criminal action against Mobil Oil Corp.’s Torrance refinery in the last 10 weeks, Torrance City Prosecutor J. D. Lord filed a misdemeanor complaint Tuesday in South Bay Municipal Court, alleging that the refinery violated air pollution laws on June 19.
The complaint said that foul odors, described as resembling rotten eggs and skunks, were released from the refinery, prompting 24 citizen complaints.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District investigated and reported that the refinery was the source of the odors.
Complaints received by the AQMD said the odors lasted from late morning on June 19 until early evening. When an agency investigator arrived at the refinery at 4:40 p.m., he said the odors were still detectable.
Mobil spokesman Barry Engelberg said gas containing hydrogen sulfide escaped during a maintenance inspection of a flare because a valve failed to close completely.
Last week, the city prosecutor filed 170 misdemeanor counts against the oil company alleging violations of the state safety code. In July and August, the prosecutor named Mobil in complaints stemming from explosions and fires in 1988.
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