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Long Beach Refinery

An oil refinery was established in the early 1900's in Long Beach California, and was fully operation by 1920. Hancock Oil Company established the site, but eventually the facility was under the control of the Edgington Oil Company, and had the ability to produce 26,000 barrels of crude oil on a daily basis. Edgington was later purchased by Alon USA Energy, Inc.

Early in the plant's history, it faced a major disaster. In May of 1958 a huge blaze erupted at the refinery, and two employees were killed. The fire also caused the destruction of up to 60 cars, and did a tremendous amount of property damage. It also ruined the paint jobs on several nearby homes. Long Beach fire crews were brought in, and began a battle with the overwhelming blaze. Fire fighters spent hours at the location before they were able to get in close enough to shut down a valve that was keeping the fire alive with a steady supply of gasoline. Once the gas was shut down, the fire was brought under control without any further injuries.

Another problem that hurt the facility early on was the presence of products that contained asbestos. These products were common in refineries all over the world, and used because of their ability to withstand great heat. Over time, however, they would break apart and release microscopic fibers of asbestos into the air, where they could be inhaled by employees. It was eventually discovered that these fibers caused massive respiratory damage and led to cancerous diseases such as mesothelioma, which can be fatal. Plant officials had to oversee the removal of every product that contained this toxic material, but anyone who worked at the site while they were in use is at risk of developing these health problems, and should contact their doctor for an immediate check up.

In February of 2008, the plant was hit with another serious issue. A flare up at the refinery caused huge flames to shoot out of smoke stacks and release gas into the air. The flaring continued throughout the night, and brought about many complaints by local residents who were concerned about how it would affect the air quality. A local environmental group put together a protest following the incident, and encouraged people in the community to speak out at a press conference they set up to discuss what had happened. The incident is currently being investigated.

Last modified: December 09 2009.