Fire & Explosion at ExxonMobil Plant & Refinery in Baytown, Texas
Residents of Baytown, Texas reported feeling their houses shake as the result of what authorities referred to as a "major industrial accident" at the ExxonMobil refinery, which is located about 25 miles outside of Houston, Texas. Four workers were injured: three were airlifted from the scene and one was transported by ground to the hospital for treatment. The fire and apparent explosion occurred at the part of the facility that produces gasoline, and it took emergency crews a few hours to finally extinguish the blaze. The cause of this incident is still under investigation, and our ExxonMobil explosion lawyers will continue to monitor the situation as new details emerge.
ExxonMobil Refinery Explosion in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
On November 22, 2016, an ExxonMobil refinery in Baton Rouge, LA suffered a massive explosion. It led to the injury of four workers—two of them required extensive care.
The explosion was caused by a valve that fell apart as a worker was turning it, releasing isobutane. The released gas was ignited by a welding machine that was sitting 70 feet away. One worker was thrown off a scaffold by the explosion and dangled over the fire. Another worker suffered severe burns all over her body.
Investigators found that the unit where the explosion took place had equipment that was neglected, lacked proper safety procedures, and did not receive regular inspections. ExxonMobil was fined $165,000 the following year by U.S. regulators for "safety lapses," including insufficient training and lack of equipment maintenance. OSHA hit the refinery with nine citations. Some of these matched citations issued against other ExxonMobil refineries.
Additionally, the Baton Rouge refinery was chastised in 2012 by the EPA for ignoring corroded pipes and valves that were necessary for shutdown and emergency procedures. In other words, the valves were a known problem, but ExxonMobil didn't see it for the urgent issue it was. ExxonMobil contested the citations, eight of which were labeled "serious." One of the citations was already issued against Exxon earlier that year for the Baytown, TX refinery. Like in Baton Rouge, the Baytown plant had not been inspected often enough.
Massive Explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California
On Wednesday, February 18, 2015, a massive plant explosion rocked the Torrance area when the ExxonMobil refinery exploded—sending huge flames into the area. The accident occurred at approximately 8:50 a.m. and injured 4 workers. Residents were starkly affected by the blast as well, with students from more than a dozen local schools being forced to stay indoors as an ash-like substance fell from the sky.
According to seismologists, the Exxon refinery blast was the equivalent of a 1.5 magnitude earthquake.
The blast originated in the refinery’s electrostatic precipitators where a unit had been shut down for maintenance and the turnaround process. An investigation into the plant explosion found "multiple deficiencies" in safety management led to the event. Specifically, management failed to update poor procedures and identify hazardous conditions. In the end, ExxonMobil was given 19 citations and fined $556,000. Additionally, motorists paid $2.4 billion in increased gas prices for 6 months. All told, it was the costliest refinery accident in California in 16 years.
Fire at ExxonMobil Refinery in Beaumont, Texas
Employees of ExxonMobil have suffered some serious setbacks in the year 2013. In April 2013, a fire ignited in a Beaumont, TX refinery when the processing unit of the plant was shut down for maintenance. Following the refinery accident, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality investigated the plant; since there were no recordable levels of emissions, it was classified as a "flash fire." It is believed that the fire sparked when hydrocarbons were released and ignited during repairs to a heat exchanger.
An estimated 12 refinery employees were seriously burned and suffered broken bones. Of the injured, seven were taken to Baptist Hospital where three were later transferred to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston for more thorough burn treatments; the five other workers were transported to Christus Hospital-St. Elizabeth. One of the contract workers passed away from injuries sustained in the fire. The fire happened at an ExxonMobil refinery that is part of a 2,400-acre complex, which also includes a chemical and lube plant. Per reports, this refinery in particular processed more than 365,000 barrels of crude oil daily and employed more than 2,000
Pipeline Rupture & Oil Spill in Mayflower, Arkansas
On March 29, 2013, a 65-year-old pipeline ruptured, releasing an estimated 5,000 barrels of oil in Mayflower, Arkansas—although some recent lawsuits are stating it could be as many as 19,000 barrels. Since then, residents of the small city have been experiencing a "toxic soup." According to a representative of the Texas chapter of the Sierra Club, there were toxic hydrocarbons "at more than 88,000 parts per billion." Plant workers are seeking compensation for the damages suffered in the crude oil spill. Several residents have already filed class action lawsuits, pointing to the damaged yards, tainted water supply, increase in carbon monoxide emissions, and more. Many Mayflower residents evacuated their homes in the aftermath due to the health risks posed by fumes and some are already claiming it is the "worst spill in Arkansas history."
ExxonMobil Employees Create Agreement After Strike Notice
In the aftermath of these serious safety hazards, employees of ExxonMobil issued a 60-day notice stating their intention to strike. The notice came from a local United Steelworkers chapter who is concerned about a Baytown refinery's safety; the union has issued requests for ExxonMobil to update the safety procedures at the facilities and make greater attempts at education to prevent more plant accidents. Although the oil giant believes that it has high standards in place for the safety of its workers, there are many more steps that can be taken to improve safety and prevent refinery explosions nationwide.
"ExxonMobil likes to think it has a better health and safety culture than other oil companies, but their process safety record shows they have room for improvement. Our proposal increases employee involvement, provides for process safety training and review, and delivers a solution to worker fatigue that ExxonMobil and the industry's trade organization designed."
The threat of strike led to a tentative agreement between the workers and the Baytown refinery. Now it features the contract safety language the union leaders demanded. This language is not new to the company—other refineries, including the Torrance site, have contracts with the same language. The Baytown refinery will now meet the same standards as other ExxonMobil sites.
Our ExxonMobil Accident Attorneys' Recent Victories
Our ExxonMobil explosion lawyers have a reputation for success. In fact, we have recovered billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements. This has been accomplished through the hard work of our team, both in and out of the courtroom. We do not accept the answer "no" and fight tirelessly for the success of our clients. Throughout the years, we have been involved in several high-profile, complex cases. For example, we represented victims of the BP Texas City disaster, as well as 27 crewmembers injured in the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
- $117 Million: Arnold & Itkin attorneys represented a young woman who suffered catastrophic injuries in an ambulance accident. Seven-months pregnant, the plaintiff had called for an ambulance to take her to a local hospital; during the ride, the driver—who had a history of poor vision and bad driving—dropped his RSI device and completely took his eyes off the road when he reached down to pick it up. The ambulance did not reduce speed and drove into the back of a sugar cane truck. The woman had her spine severed at T4 in the accident and suffered serious brain injuries; her daughter was prematurely delivered. By proving fault on behalf of the ambulance driver, we successfully obtained a $117 million verdict—the largest single-event, personal injury verdict in Louisiana history.
- $76.6 Million: Arnold & Itkin lawyers represented a young man who developed abnormal breast tissue (gynecomastia) as a result of taking Risperdal. The manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, denied responsibility for our client’s harm. They even attempted to use our client’s mental condition against him in court. However, our cross-examination uncovered documents that showed a link between Risperdal usage and gynecomastia—documents that were hidden from federal authorities by Johnson & Johnson. Our presentation of the case led to a $76.6 million verdict. Our award is the largest Risperdal verdict to date—20 times larger than the previous 4 verdicts combined.
- $14 Million: Our attorneys represented a Jones Act seaman who had sustained a serious head injury while working aboard the Hercules 15 inland barge, which was located on Lake Washington in Louisiana. During operations, employees welded a three-foot pipe to the derrick and then forgot about it. When drilling began, it became loose and hit the seaman in the head. We settled for $14 million on the eve of the trial.
- $10.9 Million: We represented a Louisiana family who'd suffered the loss of their mother and paralysis of a five-year-old daughter during a tragic grade crossing. We fought to prove that Union Pacific should have known about the unique safety hazard at the crossing and that they should have installed active warning devices. After presenting the danger of the crossing, as well as the previous accidents that had occurred there, the jury agreed and decided that Union Pacific should have been aware of the hazard; they awarded a $10.9 million jury verdict.
- $9.6 Million: Arnold & Itkin represented an industrial worker who lost most of the sight in one of his eyes after a catastrophic plant accident. We filed suit, and, after deliberating for a day and a half, the jury found that the defendant was liable for designing a faulty piece of equipment. Although the pretrial settlement offer was only $300,000, the jury awarded a $9.6 million verdict.
See more of our ExxonMobil explosion attorneys' victories by viewing our case results today!
Choose a Top-Rated ExxonMobil Claim Attorney
At Arnold & Itkin LLP, our industrial accident attorneys know just how difficult it can be work in an plant, factory, or refinery. It is important work, but that does not always mean it is safe work. From toxic oil spills to fires to plant explosions, the dangers that industrial workers face are immense. That is why we proudly stand up for the rights of injured workers, employees, and contractors. When your life has been turned upside down because of a serious plant or refinery accident, you can turn to an ExxonMobil lawsuit attorney at Arnold & Itkin for the level of legal counsel and personal commitment to your case that you deserve.
Throughout our legal careers, our plant accident attorneys have been proud to help countless clients to get their lives back on track following a catastrophic industrial accident. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries and are looking for someone to fight for you, we encourage you to reach out and contact our firm. We truly care about our clients, and we are known for our one-on-one attention. We will do everything we can to keep you updated, informed, and comfortable with the direction of your case.
ExxonMobil Accident Lawyers with Offices in Houston, TX & Baton Rouge, LA
At Arnold & Itkin, we are proud to serve clients nationwide. From our offices in Houston, Texas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, we help the victims of catastrophic ExxonMobil accidents recover and fight for the compensation they deserve. If you have been injured or if you have lost someone you love, we encourage you to contact us immediately. It costs you nothing to discuss your case with a ExxonMobil claim lawyer during a free consultation. It’s a chance for you to tell your story and let us explain all of your different legal options. If you choose to work with us, you won’t pay a dime unless we win your case. It doesn’t take deep pockets to afford the best legal representation. Give us a call to learn how we can help you.
Take the first step to recovery with the help of our ExxonMobil plant and refinery accident attorneys. Call (888) 493-1629 or fill out our online form to schedule your free case review.
