Mobil May Face Trial for Refinery Blast

A court appeals panel has issued a tentative ruling that would require Mobil Oil and two of its managers to stand trial for alleged safety violations stemming from a fatal 1988 explosion at the company’s Torrance refinery.

The Los Angeles Superior Court appellate panel, consisting of four judges, issued its preliminary ruling before hearing oral arguments in the case last week, Deputy Dist. Atty. Fred Macksoud said. Tentative actions such as this are taken to help attorneys narrow their presentation to the panel, he said.

Although not binding, attorneys said such initial rulings usually are made permanent several weeks later unless the oral arguments affect the thinking of the judges. The ruling can be challenged at the state Court of Appeal.

If upheld, the panel’s decision would reverse an October, 1989, ruling by South Bay Municipal Judge Thomas Allen that Mobil and former managers Wyman Robb and Tom Gregory could not be forced to stand trial for an incident caused by a private contractor.

The two executives and Mobil had faced misdemeanor charges of violating state worker safety codes in connection with a July 15, 1988, explosion involving the Cal Cat Chemical Co., a Benecia-based contract company, and three of its workers.

One worker was killed instantly when a tank he was trying to clean exploded. Two of his colleagues suffered serious injuries.

Earlier this month, Cal Cat and its president, Paul Taylor, entered no contest pleas to misdemeanor safety violations just as their South Bay Municipal Court case was to go to the jury.

The company was fined $26,500. Taylor was ordered to pay an additional $14,750.