On March 22, 2023, officials responded to reports of a fire at INEOS, a global petrochemicals manufacturer located in Pasadena, TX.
Fire officials said the fire was caused when a liquid petroleum gas explosion occurred while liquid bulk trucks were delivering raw materials. The fire was ruled accidental.
Just one month later, worker Arturo Jimenez is filing what is believed to be the first lawsuit stemming from the event, according to local news station KPRC.
Jimenez said he was at the Pasadena plant and was thrown to the ground during the explosion.
“Plaintiff and his coworkers immediately attempted to evacuate the facility but soon realized they were trapped in the facility due to various exits not being open,” the lawsuit states.
Due to the explosion, Jimenez suffered significant physical injuries to his neck, back, spine, and other parts of his body, he said.
“There are far too many explosions in our community. Chemical plant explosions are frequently mass casualty events, and injuries incurred during the initial blast are often exacerbated as workers flee the facility. Escaping a chemical plant fire is a traumatic experience because everyone is afraid of a secondary explosion,” said Jimenez’s attorney, Kurt Arnold of Houston-based law firm Arnold & Itkin, which was reported by the news station.
