Torrance is a residential suburb about 20 miles (30 km) south of Los Angeles. Torrance Mayor Patrick Furey told to a local television station in an interview that people who live near the refinery should take precautions but surrounding areas were not evacuated. He recommended stay indoors, no outdoor activity, turn the air conditioners off and keep the windows closed. Students at 14 schools near the refinery were ordered to shelter in place because of concerns over air quality. “We are taking every measure to make sure our students are safe,” said to the media Torrance Unified School District spokeswoman Tammy Khan. The company was looking into the cause of the explosion.
