Flames, Smoke Pour From Mobil Plant
Flames and heavy black smoke poured from Mobil’s Torrance refinery Friday morning as a result of a pressure buildup of hydrocarbon gas, officials said.
Mobil officials said Friday afternoon that they did not know the cause of the pressure buildup that led to the 10:35 a.m. discharge. But a spokeswoman for the Air Quality Management District said a valve on a refinery gas vessel closed, creating excessive gas pressure. AQMD spokeswoman Claudia Keith said the gas line was closed for repair after the accident.
Mobil spokesman Barry Engleberg said the smoke emission occurred when the gas buildup was diverted to the refinery’s flare system.
No injuries were reported.
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