On October 2, 2025, Chevron's El Segundo refinery exploded in a 300-foot fireball. A plume of soot, ash, and oily hydrocarbons drifted south and east on the onshore winds — coating boats at King Harbor, cars parked in driveways, roofs, patios, and outdoor surfaces across the South Bay.
This is a property-damage class action for owners of real and personal property in the downwind corridor — El Segundo and Manhattan Beach within approximately one mile of the fence line (highest deposition), plus Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach / King Harbor, Hawthorne, Lawndale, and Torrance — between October 2 and October 9, 2025.
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On the night of October 2, 2025, a catastrophic explosion and fire tore through Chevron U.S.A. Inc.'s El Segundo refinery. The blast produced a 300-foot fireball visible from throughout Los Angeles County and ignited a fire that burned for more than nine hours.
As the refinery burned, soot, unburned hydrocarbons, heavy oily droplets, and fine particulate matter were lofted into the atmosphere and carried on the prevailing onshore winds — across El Segundo and Manhattan Beach first, and then southeast through Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, King Harbor, Hawthorne, Lawndale, and Torrance. According to the Complaint, "within a mile of the plant are thousands of homes, schools, and businesses in El Segundo and Manhattan Beach," and tens of thousands of additional people live and work within the probable fallout zone.
The contamination did not stay in the air. Within hours, El Segundo and Manhattan Beach residents — the closest to the source — reported visible black and brown residue coating cars in driveways, home exteriors, roofs, solar panels, patio furniture, and outdoor surfaces. Farther south and east, the same deposition reached Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and Hawthorne, and boat owners at King Harbor and other South Bay slips documented thick oily film on decks, canvas covers, hulls, and rigging that resisted ordinary washing.
The Complaint in Coffey v. Chevron U.S.A. Inc., et al., filed October 10, 2025, alleges that Chevron operated the refinery with knowledge of dangerous equipment conditions — including 46 safety violations in the five years before the explosion and an equipment-failure citation issued only ten days before the blast — and that the foreseeable result was the physical deposition of contaminants onto downwind property.
This case is centered on concrete, documentable, physical damage to property — not diffuse air-quality claims. If the explosion left visible residue on something you own, you are in the class we are building.
Cars, trucks, motorcycles, and RVs parked outdoors in El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and adjacent corridor cities on October 2–9, 2025. Soot, ash, and oily film on paint, glass, and trim. Paint etching, clear-coat damage, and professional decontamination are compensable.
Residue on roofs, siding, windows, patios, pool decks, outdoor furniture, solar panels, and HVAC intakes. The closest-in homes — particularly in El Segundo and Manhattan Beach within roughly a mile of the refinery fence line — show the heaviest, most visible deposition. Professional cleaning and restoration of contaminated surfaces is part of the claim.
Oily deposition on decks, gelcoat, canvas covers, sails, rigging, and upholstery at King Harbor in Redondo Beach and other South Bay slips. The named Plaintiff in Coffey v. Chevron documented this exact pattern on his vessel. Cleaning costs, detailing, refinishing, and diminished value are all recoverable.
Inventory, outdoor equipment, vehicle fleets, marina operations, and commercial premises that required cleaning or suffered lost use during the cleanup window. Economic loss damages are available.
The same mechanism we are pleading in court — a straight-line, foreseeable pathway from the refinery fence line to your property.
Equipment failure and fire at the El Segundo refinery lofts hydrocarbons, soot, and particulates into the air column.
Onshore winds carry the plume southeast along the coast, depositing heavier particulates closest to the fence line and finer material miles out.
Oily droplets and ash settle onto exposed horizontal surfaces — boat decks, car hoods, patios, roofs, outdoor furniture.
Physical contamination of property. Cleaning, decontamination, and diminished value costs are directly traceable to the release.
The class is defined by objective geographic and temporal criteria — no judgment calls, no fail-safe characteristics.
Tell us where your property was and what was contaminated. Photos strongly preferred.
Our team evaluates your claim against the class definition at no cost and no obligation.
If you qualify, we represent you on a contingency basis — no fee unless we recover.
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Case Reference: Coffey v. Chevron, No. 2:25-cv-09699-MWC-BFM
Please preserve any contaminated items and photographs until we speak.
Independent reporting on the explosion, the aftermath, and the widening litigation. Trujillo & Winnick LLP is not affiliated with these outlets; links are provided for public reference.
Coverage links are offered for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement. The facts alleged in Coffey v. Chevron U.S.A. Inc., et al., No. 2:25-cv-09699-MWC-BFM, are set forth in the operative pleadings on file with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Managing Partner · Trujillo & Winnick LLP
Plaintiffs’ trial attorney focused on complex property-damage and environmental-contamination litigation on the South Bay / El Segundo corridor. Lead counsel in Coffey v. Chevron U.S.A. Inc., et al., and primary point of contact for corridor residents and boat/vehicle owners whose property was coated by soot, ash, or oily residue from the October 2, 2025 refinery fire.