• 05
  • August
    2010

Yes, BP is in the headlines again, and this story is not directly related to the massive Gulf oil spill. It seems as though when one scandal nears its end, another develops for the British oil company.

On Tuesday, a class action Texas lawsuit was filed against BP, claiming negligence that resulted in the potential health risks of Texas residents and refinery workers.

This case developed following a discovered gas leak in the Texas City BP oil refinery. According to the lawsuit, the machine responsible in the refinery for filtering out dangerous chemicals from entering the air was damaged on April 6.

Until May 22, the BP refinery did nothing to ensure the safety of the refinery workers and nearby residents. Even their scheduled repair for the machine was reportedly delayed.

The newly filed lawsuit represents the complaints of over 2,000 Texans who fear that the 46-day-long gas leak has endangered their health, affected their ability to live happily in the Texas town and decreased the property values in the area.

BP is being targeted in this lawsuit for damages of at least $10 billion. The plaintiffs claim that the chemical release caused by BP not properly running their refinery has put thousands of Texas workers and residents at risk of long-term health problems, including cancer.

According to the lawsuit, the recent leak led to 500,000 pounds of "cancer-causing" chemicals getting released in the Texas area. Sources also emphasize this specific BP refinery's dubious history of negligent practices, which included a 2005 explosion that killed 15 workers.

We will update you when this case against BP progresses.

Resource

The Associated Press: Texas accuses BP of poorly operating its refinery (8/4/2010)