Crane Collapse at Exxon's Torrance Refinery Injures Three

   By Dan Molinski 
 

Three workers at Exxon Mobil Corp.'s (XOM) refinery in Torrance, Calif. sustained minor injuries Monday when a 300-ton crane collapsed, an official said.

Bob Millea of the Torrance Fire Department said one of the workers hurt his knee but didn't have other specifics on the injuries. He said the refinery continues to operate but said it began flaring gases to stabilize operations as a safety precaution.

Exxon spokesman Todd Spitler confirmed a crane incident occurred, and said the three contract workers were taken to a clinic "for evaluation of minor injuries."

Mr. Spitler also reported an unplanned flaring event Monday morning that he said was necessary "due to a breakdown in some units." But he said the flaring was unrelated to the crane incident, adding that operations and production are normal.

Exxon agreed last year to sell the Torrance refinery to PBF Energy for more than $500 million, but it must first show PBF that the plant is in good, working condition.

The 155,000-barrel-a-day refinery was mostly shut for more than a year after a February 2015 explosion that injured workers. It began re-starting a key gasoline-making unit in May.

Write to Dan Molinski at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 20, 2016 15:27 ET (19:27 GMT)

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