by Kevin Cody, Mark McDermott
The cause of the El Segundo Chevron refinery fire that began with an explosion that frightened neighbors in Manhattan Beach, and El Segundo, and lit up the South Bay sky last Thursday evening, October 2, has not been determined. But “Chevron does not have any indication that the fire was a result of terrorist activity,” Chevron Corporate Affairs Manager Jeff Wilson said Tuesday, October 7.
“The investigation is still in its early stages and close-up inspections of the equipment cannot occur until the area where the incident occurred is deemed safe,” he said.
Chevron, El Segundo and Manhattan Beach firefighters worked through the night on Thursday and into Friday morning. The fire was fully extinguished Friday morning at 7:30 a.m.
The fire occurred in the southeast corner of the refinery, bordering Manhattan Beach, at the ISOMAX process unit, which produces jet fuel.
Flames could also be seen rising from a second refinery location. Those flames were safety flares Chevron workers used to depressurize the ISOMAX process unit, Wilson explained.
The El Segundo refinery produces 40 percent of the jet fuel used in Southern California, and 20 percent of the motor vehicle fuel used in Southern California.
Since the fire, the refinery has continued to produce both jet and motor vehicle fuel, “though at a reduced rate,” Wilson said.
In response to concerns about a spike in gasoline prices, Wilson said, “Chevron has continued to supply its customers in Southern California. We anticipate we will continue to meet our supply obligations, going forward.”
Chevron is working with regulatory agencies to determine the cause of the fire and is also conducting its own investigation. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire, Wilson said.
The fire was discussed at Tuesday night’s Manhattan Beach City Council meeting. Mayor David Lesser said he understood how terrifying the fire was for nearby residents.
“I want to acknowledge the Manhattan Beach residents who experienced fear and uncertainty during the Chevron refinery fire in El Segundo last Thursday evening … Many in our community saw the flames, smelled the smoke, and questioned whether they and their families were safe.”
Lesser said MBFD assisted ESFD and Chevron’s fire crew and were on the scene within two minutes of the incident’s start.
MBFD Chief Jason Alexander also addressed the issue.
“When an incident of this magnitude occurs and is so close to home, it is natural to feel shaken and to look for immediate reassurance,” he said. “Your safety is and always will be the top priority of the Manhattan Beach Fire Department and the entire city team. I want to offer my deepest respect and gratitude for the profound professionalism, swift action and commitment displayed by our first responders that night. This incident tested our response protocols and our teams performed at the highest levels, demonstrating professionalism and readiness within two minutes of receiving an initial dispatch.”
Alexander said that public messaging as the incident was unfolding was challenging. Thousands of nearby residents were unable to find out what was occurring in the fire’s earliest stages, but Alexander said MBFD was able to broadcast a message that went out on channels such as AlertSouthBay within 26 minutes of the initial call for service and within 10 minutes of a unified command center being established at the scene by El Segundo and Chevron fire squads. He also praised MBPD for quickly setting up roadblocks around the area.
“I want to assure our residents that had an evacuation order been necessary, our police department officers would have gone door to door to ensure every household was notified and safely moved out of the impacted area,” Alexander said. “We would never rely solely on text message alerts to notify residents.”
Brian Stock, the director of the El Segundo Chevron refinery, gave an emotional thanks to the public safety responders and an emphatic apology to the community.
“Thursday evening, around 9:31 p.m., my family and I happened to be driving down Rosecrans toward the refinery,” Stock said. “I witnessed the sky change from black to orange. It was a scary moment, even for somebody who has worked in the industry for more than 25 years. As is my duty, I drove directly to the refinery, and I was one of the first employees to arrive after the incident. The only people whom I saw arrive before me were the firefighters and emergency responders from the cities of El Segundo and Manhattan Beach. The fire trucks passed me as I was approaching. Their collective response was unlike any that I had ever seen, and I would like to publicly recognize them for their quick action, their professionalism and their bravery. This united response, in collaboration with our own, on site fire department, enabled the fire to be safely extinguished by early Friday morning.”
“On behalf of myself, the women and men who work at the refinery 24/7, and the entire corporation, I want to express to you how deeply saddened we are that this fire occurred,” Stock said. “We work tirelessly every day, every night to prevent incidents like this from happening, and we will continue to do so. It is our nature and it is our value system.”
“Please also allow me to reiterate just how truly sorry we are that any fire occurred,” he said. “For 114 years we have operated in this community, and I commit to you that we will do everything we can to continue to be a good neighbor.” ER
It is a serious concern that, due to the federal government shutdown, the timely and effective collection of records and evidence related to the cause of this incident is being maintained. State and local authorities need to reassure those of us who witnessed it, as well as everyone else, about the true nature of this unprecedented explosion that still haunts many of us. As a firsthand witness, I commend the emergency response; however, this should not diminish the gravity of this event, which has not been fully represented in any video I have seen.