El Dorado Chemical Co. Fire Lawsuit
Tens of thousand of lives were put at risk when a fire broke out at the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant in Bryan, Texas. The El Dorado Chemical Co. plant processes ammonium nitrate - a highly combustible chemical - to make fertilizer. In addition to sending a plum of potentially toxic fumes into the air, the fire could have set off a catastrophic explosion.
More than two dozen people were injured in the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant fire. Most of Bryan, Texas - a town with a population of 72,000 - was forced to evacuate. The main campus of Texas A&M University was forced to close. A day after the explosion, 1,000 people were still being kept from their homes.
Our El Dorado Chemical Co. plant fire lawyers have a great deal of experience representing the victims of industrial accidents. We will do everything legally possible to make sure those who suffered physical and financial damages because of the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant fire are treated fairly.
If you were affected in any way by the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant fire, you may be entitled to compensation. Our El Dorado Chemical Co. plant fire lawyers are currently offering free case evaluations to victims of this accident. We urge you to contact us right away to protect your legal rights.
El Dorado Chemical Co. Fire
El Dorado Chemical's Web site describes the facility as a place where customers can stock up on ammonium nitrate fertilizer "by the truckloads" 24 hours a day. The plant uses the chemical to make fertilizer, but it is also a component of many explosives.
The fire at the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant broke out around noon on July 30, 2009. Workers were welding in an empty storage bin when a spark started the fire. The blaze produced a plume of smoke that extended up to 60 miles from the plant. Because of the toxicity of the chemicals involved, fire crews could not battle the blaze on site. Rather, they were forced to allow the fire to burn itself out.
At least 34 people were injured as a result of the chemical fire. According to media reports, St. Joseph Regional Health Center's emergency room treated 22 people with respiratory ailments or eye irritation possibly related to the fire. An additional 12 people were treated at College Station Medical Center for smoke inhalation. The injured included roughly 20 firefighters and other first responders.
By the following morning, the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant fire was still smoldering. While most evacuees had been allowed to return, at least 1,000 were still displaced.
Dangers of Ammonium Nitrate
Because the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant fire involved ammonium nitrate, there was a real danger that the accident could have produced a massive explosion. Under conditions of heat or pressure, ammonium nitrate can explode. A fire that spreads to ammonium nitrate can detonate such an explosion.
Ammonium nitrate explosions can be devastating. For example, ammonium nitrate was a component in the bomb that was used to blow up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995.
Ammonium nitrate fumes can also be toxic. Inhalation of ammonium nitrate fumes can cause irritation to the respiratory tract. Symptoms may include coughing, sore throat, and shortness of breath. At high temperatures, exposure to toxic nitrogen oxides decomposition products can quickly cause acute respiratory problems. Inhalation of large amounts causes systemic acidosis and abnormal hemoglobin.
Legal Help for Victims of the El Dorado Chemical Co. Plant Fire
Our El Dorado Chemical Co. plant fire lawyers have represented many people who were injured both financially and physically because of accidents similar to the one that occurred in Bryan, Texas in July 2009. We are working hard to make sure that El Dorado Chemical is held accountable for this incident. If you or someone you know were impacted by the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant fire, it is important that you act now to protect your legal rights. Please fill out our online form or call 1 800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636) to discuss your case.