Monday, March 23, 2015 will mark 10 years since the horrific BP explosion in Texas City, which took the lives of 15 people and injured approximately 180 others. The BP explosion is to date one of the worst refinery explosions. The lives of those involved and their families may never be the same after this disaster.
After the BP explosion, several safety experts recommended that refineries make changes in order to provide safer work sites for employees, unfortunately refineries continue to pose serious safety threats for those who work in them and live near them. Since the BP explosion, there have been at least 58 deaths in American refineries. There is approximately one fire every week at a U.S. refinery. A top official with the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has found that the same issues which caused the BP Explosion continue to exist in other refinery explosions.
Following the BP explosion, the CSB advised the petrochemical industry to move trailers and tents near refineries away from process units. Some companies have followed this advice but the CSB has continued to find several cases of such structures being damaged in refinery explosions. At the BP plant in Texas City, this problem continues to exist as temporary buildings can be found near refinery units. Refineries must make change to protect their employees from disasters such as the BP explosion from 2005.
Benny Agosto, Jr. is a partner at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner in Houston, Texas. For over 65 years, Abraham Watkins has successfully represented injured people and families who fall victim to catastrophes. In 2005, Mr. Agosto represented several employees who were hurt as a result of the BP disaster. Our attorneys have the knowledge, experience and resources necessary to obtain just compensation their clients. If you or someone you know has been injured during a plant explosion, please contact the office of Benny Agosto, Jr. at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner, by letter at 800 Commerce Street, Houston, Texas 77002, or by phone at (713) 222-7211.