2 years after Torrance refinery blast, new report places blame on ExxonMobil

The ExxonMobil refinery is seen after an explosion in a gasoline processing unit at the facility, in Torrance, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015. Two workers suffered minor injuries and a small fire at the unit was quickly put out. The incident triggered a safety flare to burn off flammable substances. The facility about 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles covers 750 acres, employs over a thousand people, and processes an average of 155,000 barrels of crude oil per day, according to the company. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

A huge explosion at the Torrance Refinery two years ago could have been prevented if then-owner Exxon Mobil had paid more attention to safety, according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.

A huge explosion at the Torrance Refinery two years ago could have been prevented if then-owner Exxon Mobil had paid more attention to safety, according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.

Read the full story here.

We reached out to Exxon Mobil and they declined the interview.

Guests:

Sharon McNary, infrastructure reporter for KPCC; she tweets

Tweets by KPCCsharon

Betsy Brien, western region external relations manager at for PBF Energy and the Torrance Refinery

Sally Hayati, founding member and president of the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance, an organization working to ban the use of modified hydrofluoric acid in the South Bay