Marcus Hook Sunoco Refinery Explosion Results in Chemical Fire
An explosion at the Sunoco refinery plant in Marcus Hook, Pa. that resulted in a fire that raged for almost 24 hours has been put out, officials said Tuesday, May 19th. Sunoco officials also said that they did not have a cause for the chemical fire in Pennsylvania, and were not certain when operations would return to normal. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the explosion or subsequent fire.
The explosion occurred around 10:15 AM on Sunday, May 17th and is said to have originated in the storage tanks of the ethylene unit. Ethylene is a common organic chemical produced from butane and often used to make other chemicals such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylene glycol, otherwise known as antifreeze. Ethylene oxide is a carcinogenic compound that can cause cancer in high doses.
After the fire settled down, citizens in the surrounding area began to fear that the toxic chemicals that exploded might start to rain down on them. Local authorities and Sonoco Inc. claim that Ethylene Oxide is practically harmless to humans once it is burned off, which they say occurred in the explosion.
Explosions and fires at refineries and industrial plants can be especially dangerous, not only to the employee’s of the plant, but also to the surrounding community who may be at risk of being exposed to dangerous chemicals in unstable states. When these plants erupt in flames, the effect on the gasses and liquids contained in the storage areas of the plant can be especially unpredictable and dangerous. These accidents are so common in our country that a whole area of law has been created to deal with them: Toxic Torts.
A toxic tort, by definition, is a legal suit brought against an individual or company for their inattention that leads to exposure of a dangerous contaminant to others who in turn suffer physical injury.
Recently, partners Kevin Marciano & Dave Cherry earned a $1 Million settlement against Sunoco Inc. for their client Joseph J. Hughes. Mr. Hughes was exposed to steam that had been contaminated with hundreds of hydrocarbons. As a result of the exposure, Hughes continues to have noticeable tremors, speech problems and brain damage as well other serious and permanent injuries.
The Pennsylvania environmental toxin lawyers at Cherry, Fieger & Marciano have the experience necessary to successfully manage the complicated case law of toxic torts. Our attorneys will meet with specialists in relevant fields of study including, but not limited to epidemiology, rehabilitation, economics, psychology, industrial hygiene, medicine and the environment in an effort to determine the cause and effects of long and short term toxic chemical exposure. Utilization of the specialists assists in offering insight on how to modify the content of the issues so that it is manageable to the layperson, be it a judge or juror, so that they may prepare a ruling without compromising the integrity of the content.
If you have been injured in a chemical fire or think you may have a toxic tort case in Pennsylvania, the attorneys at Cherry, Fieger & Marciano can help you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Call us today at 888-845-2706 for a case evaluation.
