Our legal team at The Law Office of George P. Escobedo & Associates, PLLC recently took on the case of a client who suffered serious injuries caused by an explosion at a chemical facility. Below, we tell you about the latest developments about this tragic disaster.
Explosion at KMCO, LLC Facility
On April 2nd, an explosion occurred at a chemical facility in Crosby, Texas that killed one person. According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the site of the explosion is owned by KMCO, LLC, a company that identifies itself as a specialty chemical manufacturing and toll processing service "to many of the world's largest chemical companies."
KMCO, LLC’s website says the east Harris County facility "has batch and continuous distillation and multiple reaction capabilities producing over 900 million pounds per year of toll manufacturing products."
The website also says the company has been "investing significantly and leveraging our past 40 years of success to transform into a next-generation, best-practice driven company that meets and even exceeds our customers' expectations."
The sheriff's office says that the fire at the Ramsey Road facility was ignited by isobutylene, a colorless gas with a faint petroleum-like odor.
John C. Foley, KMCO's president and CEO, said the following in a statement regarding the company’s response to the disaster:
“There was an incident resulting in an ignition and fire today April 2, 2019 at KMCO, LLC in Crosby Texas. We are deeply saddened to confirm at this time that there have been injuries and one fatality. Those injured have been transported for medical treatment. Our hearts and prayers go out to the individuals involved, as well as our first responders, employees, and our community.
We have activated the company's emergency response team and incident command center. We are working with local first responders to extinguish the fire. We will give another update as additional information becomes available. We apologize for any inconvenience to residents in the vicinity. The wellbeing of our people, neighbors and the environment remain our top priorities."
It has since been reported that the facility has recent inspection violations that conflict with EPA rules.
Deadly Gas Explosion in North Carolina
One person was killed and 17 others suffered injuries after a gas explosion leveled a building in Durham, North Carolina. The explosion occurred on April 10th.
According to Durham Fire Chief Robert Zoldos, “Half the block is destroyed. It looks like the front of the Pentagon on 9/11. Our office across the street was blown out. It was terrifying. Glass and debris everywhere.”
17 people were rushed to the hospital. Six were listed in critical condition and one needed to be transported to a burn center. One person was pronounced dead at the scene.
Firefighters were trying to evacuate the building due to a gas leak when the explosion happened.
Speaking about the incident, council member Mark-Anthony Middleton said, “This is a challenging and dark day. We are saddened and heartbroken over the loss of life.”
Steve Schewel, the mayor of Durham, praised first responders for being “absolutely incredible.”
If you or someone you know has been seriously injured due to a chemical explosion, you should get in touch with our law firm to find out how to obtain the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to. Call (210) 807-3178 today to schedule your free consultation.