EL SEGUNDO (CNS) - A burnoff at the Chevron oil refinery in El Segundo today was necessary because of a power outage, authorities said.
The safety procedure was initiated about 7:30 a.m. at the facility in the 300 block of El Segundo Boulevard, and a huge plume of smoke could be seen for miles.
El Segundo Fire Department Battalion Chief Breck Slover said the refinery lost power and initiated the burnoff, or “flare” procedure, as a safety measure to burn off product so it didn't back up in the system and pose a hazard.
“It's a common occurrence, but this happened to be a pretty big one,” Slover said.
El Segundo police said the burnoff posed no threat to the community.