Gas Fires And Explosions Articles

Natural Gas Explosion Injures 14 at San Diego Hotel Construction Site

A San Diego waterfront hotel under construction was rocked Monday afternoon by a natural gas blast that damaged four floors and injured 14 people, five critically.

Paint Plant Worker Awarded $900,000 for Injuries after Chemical Explosion

A Racine, Wisconsin, man who sued the manufacturer of an alleged anti-static chemical bag after suffering second- and third-degree burns to 19 percent of his body during an explosion involving the bag was awarded a $900,000 settlement on the second day of his civil suit.

Landscaper Sues Lawn Mower Manufacturer for Burns

A Cahokia, Wisconsin, man filed suit on Nov. 26 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against the manufacturer, the distributor, and the reseller of a Scag Turf Tiger lawn mower. The man claims that while using the lawn mower, the fuel line became detached, causing a fire that burned him severely.

Georgia Supreme Court Considers Appeal in Exploding Gas Tank Case

The Georgia Supreme Court heard testimony on Monday from three sides in a lawsuit stemming from alleged faulty automobile equipment that led to the death of a Jackson County, Georgia, woman.

Judge Allows Explosion Investigation to Remain Under Wraps

A judge in Brevard County, Florida, has denied a woman's request to learn what investigators have discovered about an apartment explosion that left two dead.

Family Seeks $25,000 in Wrongful Death Suit for Chemical Exposure

Three children of a deceased St. Louis woman filed suit last week against a gas manufacturer, claiming that toxic fumes released during the plant’s explosion caused their mother’s death.

Burn Victim Wins Suit against Motorcycle Accessories Distributor

A burn victim was awarded $42 million earlier this month in a Nevada lawsuit against leading motorcycle accessories distributor LeMans Corp. The suit claims the motorcycle apparel worn by the victim should have been flame resistant.

Family of Explosion Victim Receives Settlement in Wrongful Death Suit

The family of a man killed in a 2004 pipeline explosion in Walnut Creek, California, has settled a lawsuit for more than $8 million.

Car's Remote Triggers Explosion of Acetylene Gas in Trunk: New Hampshire Man Injured

When the Salem, New Hampshire man used a wireless remote to pop the trunk of his 2003 Ford Taurus, the electrical charge ignited acetylene gas that had leaked from a tank in the car's trunk.

Driver Dies in Explosion after Plowing into Home

A Prescott, Wisconsin, woman died February 17 after she plowed her pickup truck into a private residence, breaking the home’s natural gas line and causing an explosion that destroyed the house. The home’s residents were not injured.

Texas Toddler, Grandmother Killed in Propane Gas Fire in Mobile Home

An unidentified 2-year-old visiting her grandparents at their Reno, Texas home was killed when a 300-gallon propane tank in the backyard leaked gas into their mobile home. The resulting fire also killed her 44-year-old grandmother.

Elderly Missouri City, Texas Woman Survives Explosion That Completely Leveled Her Home

Ann Patterson Smith, 69, escaped the January 25 blast with only minor injuries. A natural gas leak is suspected as the cause of the explosion, felt miles away. Nothing is left of Smith's home but the chimney.

Utah Couple's SUV Explosion a Probable Suicide

Duston Riley, 26, and his ex-wife Andrea Riley, 27, of Farmington, Utah, died on Jan. 6 in their SUV after Duston sprayed gasoline into it and apparently set it on fire while sitting inside it.

Jury Awards $14.9 Million to Family of Man Killed in Gas Well Accident

John Stapleton backed his vehicle into a natural gas wellhead in an off-road area north of Farmington, New Mexico in the summer of 2002. The resulting explosion fatally burned him and another man.

Explosion Levels Warehouse, Kills 3, Injures 37 People in Milwaukee

On the morning of Wednesday, December 6 in an area near downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an explosion ignited a fire at a Falk Corp. warehouse and was felt a mile and a half away.

Oil Giant BP Agrees to Settle Texas Refinery Gas Explosion Suit

The March 2005 explosion killed James and Linda Rowe and led to more than 1,300 lawsuits. The Rowe's daughter Eva Rowe refused to settle her lawsuit until BP agreed to change their safety procedures.

Refinery Blast Lawsuit Enters Jury Selection Phase

On Monday, jury selection began in the civil lawsuit over a refinery explosion that seriously injured three workers in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Lawsuit over Gas Well Explosion Settled for $8.5 Million

The families of four victims of a gas well explosion in Harrison County, Texas, have agreed to settle their lawsuit for $8.5 million.

Illinois Man in Critical Condition Following Natural Gas Explosion at Home

When Michael Guzik opened the front door of his Lockport, Illinois, home on the morning of Oct. 5th, the house exploded, apparently due to a natural gas leak. The blast blew off the back of the house.

Gas Line Breach by Trencher Machine Kills Construction Worker in Rural Kansas

On Sept. 29, Jack Foran, 70 years old, was standing nearby when a trench-making machine struck a high-pressure natural gas line in Labette County, Kansas. The rupture caused an explosion and a 60-foot-high fire.

Missouri Gas Explosion Leaves Two Adults and a Toddler in Critical Condition

An explosion at a duplex in Bel-Ridge, Missouri, severely burned Andre Bickley, 19, his sister, Antanita Vance, 22, and her 4-year-old daughter, Ashanta. Local authorities are sure that a natural gas leak caused the blast.

Man's Home Explodes as He's Driving Away after Suspecting Gas Leak

Darrel Harris left his St. Louis, Missouri, home minutes before it was completely leveled by a natural gas explosion the afternoon of Sept. 12. He saw the blast in his rearview mirror as he was driving away.

Toddler Dies from Burns in Gas Explosion at Kansas City, Missouri, Home

Shalena Douglas, 2, died en route to a hospital after being burned over 90 percent of her body when her home exploded Sunday, Sept. 3. Local authorities said that a gas leak caused the explosion.

Maryland Town Shaken by Gas Main Blast during Ernesto Repair

The entire town of Berlin, Maryland, felt and heard the explosion that occurred when utility workers struck a 4-inch gas main while replacing a utility pole damaged by tropical depression Ernesto. No one was hurt.

Kansas Gas Provider Settles Explosion Lawsuit after Award Cap Is Lifted

A 2002 natural gas explosion that killed an elderly woman in her home was the subject of the lawsuit against parent energy company ONEOK Inc. The trial was set for Sept. 19.

Wrongful Death Suit Filed Over Natural Gas Explosion in Illinois

A utility company and a heating/air-conditioning company were named as defendants in a lawsuit based on a house explosion that killed a woman, her teenage son, and her grandson.

Michigan Man Severely Burned After Pouring Gasoline on Tree Stump Fire

Ricky Tenbrink of Holland, Michigan, was left in critical condition at a hospital burn unit in East Grand Rapids after suffering severe burns from a tree stump fire outside his home.

Four-Story Manhattan Building Collapses After Apparent Gas Explosion; Injuries Reported

A four-alarm fire followed a tremendous explosion on Monday, July 10 at 8:40 a.m. on Manhattan's Upper East Side, bringing down a brownstone building housing apartments and businesses. At least 11 people were hurt.

Flammable Chemicals Flushed Into Sewer Suspected as Cause of House Explosion

A family's home in Quincy, Mass. was severely damaged June 28th by a massive explosion. Chemicals in the sewer system are suspected as the blast's cause, as no gas line is connected to the property.

Motel Partially Collapses After Explosion; Man Feared to Be Buried in Rubble

On the morning of June 26, a two-story motel in Bremen, Ga. was rattled by an explosion that destroyed six to eight rooms. A maintenance worker may be trapped in the collapsed corner of the 73-room building.

Long Island Explosion Seriously Burns Elderly Smoker, Destroys His House

When 79-year-old retired postal worker Joseph Sicari tried to light a cigarette in his kitchen the morning of June 14, a devastating explosion occurred that left him in critical condition and leveled his house.

Hit-and-run driver plows into San Jose home, sparks serious gas-line fire

A man driving a stolen car evaded police and crashed into an unoccupied house, breaking a gas line. The ensuing fire caused approximately $250,000 in damages. The driver fled on foot, escaping arrest.

Furnace, homebuilder, gas, plumbing companies settle gas explosion lawsuit for $5 million

A lawsuit regarding a 1996 gas explosion that leveled a brand-new Illinois home, killing a woman and her son, was settled in May 2006 when the four defendant companies offered the family $5 million.

Washington utility pays $8 million to family of gas explosion victim

The family of an elderly Bellevue woman who died in 2004 in a natural gas explosion at her home accepted a settlement of more than $8 million from the gas utility Puget Sound Energy yesterday.

Formosa Plastics lawsuits filed almost 2 years after explosion

A legal battle has commenced almost two years after an explosion in the Formosa Plastics chemical plant in Illiopolis, Ill.

'Mission Impossible 3' stuntman sues over burn injuries

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- A stuntman who sustained severe burns on over 60 percent of his body while filming for "Mission Impossible 3" is suing Cruise/Wagner and Paramount Pictures for unspecified damages.

Lawsuit over gas explosion caused by TV remote

A New York man who sustained severe burns when his TV remote control ignited a gas explosion in his apartment has filed a lawsuit seeking damages from the parties alleged to be responsible.

Construction company reaches settlement

Sanders Construction, a Nevada-based company, has reached a settlement agreement with more than 55 homeowners to pay for property damages caused during a blasting accident.

Asthmatic's Death Linked to Praxair Explosion

The explosion and fire at the St. Louis Praxair bottled gas depot last summer has been tied to the death of an asthmatic woman who lived nearby the plant.

$17.2 Million Settlement for Gas Explosion Deaths

Alabama residents, Heath and Tara Carey have been awarded a $17.2 settlement for the wrongful death of their two children in a 2002 gas explosion at their apartment complex.

United Mine Workers of America Sue Alabama Over Mine Safety

Due to a decline in the level of safety in Alabama's fifty coal mines, two Jefferson coal miners, in conjunction with the United Mine Workers of America, have filed suit against the state.

Gas Explosion in Missouri Pork Processing Plant Kills 1

A natural gas explosion in a St. Joseph, Missouri Triumph Foods' pork processing plant killed one and injured fourteen others, days before production was to begin.

Family Files Lawsuit Against Ameren I-P for Fatal Gas Explosion

The O'Halleren family of Abingdon, Illinois has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Ameren I-P for a natural gas explosion that destroyed their home and killed their infant son Tanner.

Puget Sound Energy Could Pay $90,000 Fine in Explosion Case

Washington utility regulators have suggested a $90,000 fine be paid by Puget Sound Energy to settle a lawsuit filed after a natural gas explosion killed Frances Schmitz, 68, last year.

Recall of Defective Gas Grills Announced

Popular gas grills from two manufacturers are the subject of separate recalls due to defective hoses that can present a potential fire hazard.

Product Safety Concerns Force Recall of 5 Million Vehicles

Two of the world's largest automakers, Ford and Toyota, separately announced major vehicle recalls this week in the wake of numerous complaints about product safety and performance.

Eastern Shore Gas Company Sued for Explosion

A lawsuit has been filed in Worcester County against the Eastern Shore Gas Company for a propane explosion, which killed one person and injured about 12 firefighters.

Widow of Worker Killed in Soybean Plant Explosion Files Lawsuit

The widow of Mark Croghan has filed a lawsuit for the death of her husband in a gas explosion, which occured at the plant where he worked.

Lawsuit Filed After Explosion at Chemical Plant

Several residents have filed a lawsuit in the wake of a fire at a chemical processing plant, fearing adverse health effects from the release of potentially deadly toxins into the community.

Victims of a Connecticut Gas Explosion File Suit in Superior Court

The seventeen victims of a gas explosion in Connecticut on May 19, 1999, have filed suit in Superior Court against Getty Oil for their severe physical injuries, property damage, and emotional trauma.

Cruise Control Switch Focus of Ford Recalls

Two wrongful death lawsuits have already been filed, with more expected, as Ford continues to investigate what is causing certain models of their popular pickup trucks to unexpectedly catch on fire.

Workers Sue Sleepy Hollow Village and Firefighters for Explosion

Two maintenance workers have filed suit against Sleepy Hollow Village, the fire chief, and two firefighters who allegedly caused a gas explosion and fire that seriously injured them.

Gas Explosion Verdict Appealed

Oklahoma energy company, ONEOK, found libel for damages caused by the 2001 Hutchinson gas explosions, has appealed the verdict that awarded Reno County property owners $5 million for damages plus $2.6 million in legal fees.

Volkswagens, Fords, Toyotas Recalled

On July, 7, 2005, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that Volkswagen, Ford, and Toyota would be recalling vehicles with defects that pose a hazard to consumers.

Lamplight Farms Inc. Recalls Tiki Torches Due to Burn Injury

In reaction to a report in which a consumer received second and third degree burns, Lamplight Farms Inc. has recalled all Tiki Cone Metal Torches.

Suit Filed Against General Electric for Microwave Fire

A Tampa family has filed a lawsuit against General Electric claiming that a manufacturing defect in their Spacemaker microwave caused it to catch fire and damage their home.

Mormon Church Named as Defendant in Forest Fire Lawsuit

The Mormon church has been added as a defendant in the $14 million suit against a church sponsored Boy Scout group who allegedly began a blaze torching 14,200 acres of land in Utah.

Man Sued by Insurance Company for Accidental Fire Started at Gas Station

Michigan man, Jeff Richter, is being sued by EMC Insurance Companies for fire damage to a Shell Mini-Mart in Spring Lake totaling $114,000 after he accidentally ignited a gas fire.

Criminal Case for Moultonborough, NH Gas Explosion

Subcontractor Patrick Taft faces 14 counts of reckless conduct for cutting and not properly closing a gas line that lead to a fatal gas explosion and fire.

Portable DVD Batteries Recalled Due to Explosion Hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Mintek Digital Inc. of Anaheim, California have voluntarily recalled about 116,00 units of portable DVD player battery packs due to the possibility of the product overheating and exploding during recharging.

BP Nears Settlements of Civil Suits in Texas Refinery Explosion

Civil suits filed by injured victims and family members of those killed in the March 23 BP refinery explosion are close to being settled.