Situation stable at site of ExxonMobil refinery crane collapse in Torrance

A crane collapsed at Torrance’s ExxonMobil refinery this moing causing minor injuries to three workers and flaring to bu off hazardous chemicals generated by the incident, fire officials said.

The 300-ton crane was being used in the operational portion of the refinery, on 190th Street near Crenshaw Boulevard, when it fell at about 9:30 a.m., said Torrance Fire Department Battalion Chief Bob Millea.

“Initially, some flammable gas was suppressed by water monitors,” Millea said. “There were no offsite impacts.”

Millea did not know what caused the crash or what equipment was damaged, causing them to use flaring stacks designed to more safely release overpressurized chemicals into the air. Such bu-offs, or flares, can be triggered by an unexpected stoppage in refinery operations or mechanical failures, among other things.

The scene was declared “stable” by fire officials at about 11 a.m. The injured workers did not need hospital treatment.

The controversial refinery is being readied for a sale to PBF refining, which bought it for $537.5 million last year. In February 2015, an explosion on the site damaged a piece of pollution-control equipment and reduced the refinery’s production capacity. The blast sent debris across a mile radius and nearly caused a catastrophic release of deadly hydrofluouric acid.

The refinery restarted production on May 10, 2016, more than a year after the explosion which sent gas prices soaring statewide.