Valero Meraux Refinery Explosion: Suit Filed for 30+ Workers

Attorneys Noah M. Wexler and Ben Bireley have filed suit in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana on behalf of more than 30 individuals injured in the April 2022 fire and explosion at the Valero Meraux Refinery in Louisiana.

The incident occurred at about 5:15 p.m. on April 23, 2022, within the “Rose Unit” at Valero’s Meraux Refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana. Local news reported that residents saw dark plumes of smoke in the air. Fire crews from the St. Bernard Parish Fire Department and the plant itself responded to the incident, using foam and water to put out the blaze. What caused the fire and explosion remains under investigation.

About the Valero Meraux Refinery

Acquired by Valero in 2011, the Meraux Refinery is located 15 miles from New Orleans along the Mississippi River in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. The oil refinery employs about 260 people and has a capacity of 135,000 barrels per day, processing crude oils into gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and high sulfur fuel oil. Valero is the second largest refinery in the United States and operates 15 refineries in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom.

This isn’t the first time the Valero Meraux Refinery has been the site of fire and explosions.

Just after midnight on April 10, 2020, an explosion with unknown causes damaged the hydrocracking unit and injured one worker, who was quickly transported to the hospital. In February 2017, a compressor burned in a low-traffic area. Incidents like these can endanger every worker in the area—and, if toxic materials are released, nearby residents and businesses as well.

Helping Injured Plant Workers Find Answers

“Facilities like the Meraux Valero plant have an unfortunate track record of placing profits before the safety of those who work in and around the facility,” said our attorneys in a statement. “This has resulted in repeated catastrophic events that could have been avoided had proper measures been taken.”

We represent more than 30 contractors who were working in and around the Rose Unit at the Valero plant at the time of the blast. Our clients, who are from Texas and Louisiana, suffered various severe injuries due to the incident, including physical trauma and mental anguish, pain, and suffering. We look forward to litigating this critical case and holding those responsible accountable for the consequences of their negligence.

At Arnold & Itkin, we have an unparalleled track record of successfully representing individuals and families who have experienced the worst injuries and losses in plant, refinery, and other industrial accidents. In handling these cases, we have repeatedly found that each one could have been prevented if the at-fault parties had simply placed safety first. Our plant and refinery accident attorneys fight to help workers and their families get answers and hold negligent corporations accountable for their wrongdoing. No matter what.