Following a three-week trial, a Texas state court jury found that Maslon’s client had no liability for a chemical explosion at a factory that killed workers and a local resident, and damaged hundreds of surrounding buildings.

This trial was the third in a multidistrict litigation related to the explosion. It involved claims by property and business owners in the vicinity of the factory that suffered losses ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars each. The manufacturer that operated the factory filed for bankruptcy shortly after the incident. Plaintiffs sought to hold our client—a service provider for the manufacturing facility—liable for the majority of damages.

Specifically, plaintiffs alleged that our client failed to properly service the factory’s gas detection equipment, causing a buildup of propylene gas that went undetected and, ultimately, ignited when an employee flipped on a light switch. Our client asserted that the manufacturer bore complete responsibility due to safety violations committed by its workers—including leaving gas valves open and using the wrong grade of hose—as well as its leadership’s failure to ensure the gas detection system was fully functioning. The jury agreed, holding the manufacturer liable for plaintiffs’ full damages claims after deliberating for fewer than five hours.

Steve Schleicher represented the client at trial alongside co-counsel Thompson Coe Cousins & Irons LLP, and he delivered closing arguments. The trial team was supported by Stephanie Laws, Clayton Carlson, Valerie Wolfe, and Amanda Barnhouse.