On December 5th, 2020, seven people were injured when an oil storage tank exploded at the Magellan Midstream plant in Corpus Christi. Explosions of any kind can be incredibly devastating, and the way that firefighters and first responders described this explosion reinforces just how severe an unexpected explosion can be. Our expert Texas explosion lawyers have begun investigating the incident.
The Magellan plant is located on the northwest side of Corpus Christi. According to firefighters, the incident took place in the 1800 block of Poth, just north of Interstate 37 and south of Nueces Bay. Richie Quintero, a deputy chief with the Corpus Christi fire Department, said that there were no homes located near the explosion, and they detected no air quality issues in the aftermath.
However, seven workers at the plant sustained injuries. Four of the workers were listed as being in critical condition, and one explosion accident victim was taken to a burn center in San Antonio. Firefighters say that they found heavy fire and smoke upon arrival at the scene and that flames were only 150 yards away from the main road.
Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement about the incident and said that state officials were assisting Corpus Christi officials with their emergency response efforts.
At the time the incident occurred, residents in the immediate area were ordered to shelter in place for several hours while firefighters worked to extinguish the flames. As of this writing, it is unclear what caused the oil storage tank to explode. Additionally, there have been no reports of property damage outside of the plant.
Mark Calhoun, the operations manager at this particular Magellan plant, said that “It’s a sad day for Magellan.” He also stated that “We will absolutely, fully cooperate with the investigation.”
According to Calhoun, a fire began near an above ground oil storage tank that was undergoing a routine cleaning and inspection. Calhoun said that the storage tank usually held “residual light crude oil.”
The Magellan Midstream facility contains 60 storage tanks and employs approximately 70 people.
Right now, it is unclear precisely what caused this explosion. One thing that we do know is that explosion accident victims deserve compensation in the aftermath of these incidents. Explosion accident victims should never have to pay for expenses when their injuries were caused by the careless or negligent actions of somebody else. Compensation can come through workers’ comp or personal injury lawsuits.
If you or somebody you love has been injured in an explosion accident, you should seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Explosion accident cases can become incredibly complicated, particularly when it comes to pursuing compensation from the alleged negligent party. You should have a qualified Corpus Christi plant explosion attorney by your side who can handle every aspect of the case for you. This will include conducting a complete investigation into the incident in order to determine liability. An attorney will also handle all negotiations with other parties involved, including aggressive insurance carriers and legal teams, in order to ensure their client receives adequate compensation for their losses. If necessary, an attorney will file a personal injury lawsuit and take the case all the way to trial. Contact us today to learn more.