Industrial plant, refinery explosion injury lawsuit investigation

Industrial plant and refinery explosions: Who’s affected?

Were you injured in a plant or refinery explosion caused by poor maintenance, neglect, or other issues with the facility? You may have a legal claim. 

Explosions at industrial plants and refineries are more common than one might think—in the last few years, several major plants and refineries have experienced explosions, leaving workers injured and, in some cases, hospitalized or even killed.

For example, a Louisiana chemical plant experienced a flash fire and explosion that injured six workers last year. Regulators charged the operators of the plant with 11 serious violations and proposed penalties amounting to $139,000.

On top of potential citations and penalties, companies that own and operate these plants have paid out significant settlements, sometimes amounting to millions of dollars, to those injured in explosions.

Workers and others who have been injured in a plant or refinery explosion caused by poor maintenance, neglect, or the like may be able to file a lawsuit and obtain compensation for their medical bills, lost work, and other damages.

Plant and refinery explosions are avoidable

Explosions at plants and refineries can be devastating, resulting in workers getting injured, hospitalized, or killed. But more often than not, these explosions do not come out of the blue, and instead are caused by negligence, failure to inspect the facilities, and inadequate safety protocols.

These potentially devastating incidents are generally not just purely bad luck — usually, there is also an element of fault attributable to the company for failing to take the measures that could prevent such an incident.

Common plant explosion causes

Common causes of industrial plant or refinery explosions include:

• Electrical hazards
• Flammable materials
• Boiler systems that aren’t well maintained
• Careless cigarette disposal
• Malfunctioning equipment
• Improper equipment maintenance
• Unseen corrosion

Recent plant and refinery explosions

In June 2019, Philadelphia Energy Solutions — the largest gasoline refinery on the East Coast — experienced a series of explosions that sent shock waves for miles around and rained debris in the surrounding neighborhoods, resulting in five minor injuries, reported CNBC.

The TPC Group Petrochemical Plant in Texas experienced an explosion in late 2019 that injured three people. And a string of fires and explosions in the Houston area resulted in the death of a worker at the KMCO plant in Crosby, according to NPR.

The West Coast’s largest oil refinery — Marathon Petroleum located in Carson, California — experienced a late-night explosion in February 2020, resulting in a fire. The fire occurred in a section of the plant that had previously been cited for workplace safety violations, the LA Times reported.

A fire also broke out at an Exxon Mobil Corp complex in Baytown, Texas, in December 2021, injuring four people, two of whom were hospitalized, per Reuters. Early reports from people in the area indicated that the fire was caused by an explosion that shook nearby buildings.

Join a free plant explosion lawsuit investigation

If you or a family member have been hospitalized due to injuries from a plant/refinery explosion in the last three years, you may be able to join this plant explosion lawsuit investigation and pursue compensation.

See if you qualify by filling out the free form on this page.