Four people were taken to hospital with minor injuries and four more were subjected to contamination procedures following an explosion at a gasoline refinary in southern California on Wednesday 18 February 2015. Three of the injured have since been released, while one has remained in hospital and is reportedly being treated for a knee injury. The incident occured at about 8.50 am local time at the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinary, about 30 km south of downtown Los Angelese, and was heard over a wide area, people close to the refinary reported ashfalls in the area and scientists at Caltech recorded the event as a Magnitude 1.7 Earthquake. A four story building on the site was reportedly shattered by the blast.
Damage following the 18 February 2015 Torrence Refinary explosion. LA Times.
The Torrence Refinary typically processes around 150 000 barrels of crude oil per day, roughly 8.3% of the total procution for the State of California. Typically the temporary closure of such a sight would have little impact on supplies or prices, however another refinery in the north of the state, which accounts for about 9.2% of total production, is currently not opperating due to an industrial dispute, leading to fears that the price of gasoline in Califonia may rise in the near future.
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