Three workers filed a lawsuit Monday in state court in Houston against Pemex for injuries they allege they suffered from a hydrogen sulfide leak that occurred Thursday at the Deer Park, Texas, refinery.
Two contractors died and 35 people were treated for exposure to deadly hydrogen sulfide gas Thursday afternoon, according to authorities.
Sergio Antonio Olvera, Jonathan Martínez and Yoselyn Soto were working at the Pemex refinery in Deer Park, Houston, when gases, including hydrogen sulfide, were released, according to the lawsuit.
“The plaintiffs subsequently suffered injuries due to the leak. At the time and on the occasion in question, the defendants committed acts and omissions that, together and separately, constituted negligence,” it is argued.
Read: Pemex says it is still investigating the cause of the accident that left two dead at the Deer Park refinery
The three workers claim in the lawsuit that Pemex failed to maintain, monitor or supervise the refinery or provide safe working conditions.
The plaintiffs are seeking more than $1 million in damages, according to the lawsuit.
The appeal was filed in Harris County District Court in Houston by attorney Muhammad Aziz, who did not respond to phone messages left at his law office on Monday.
The law firm of prominent Houston attorney Tony Buzbee posted a notice last week saying that several families of plant workers had hired his firm to represent them. A spokesperson for Buzbee’s company was not immediately available this afternoon.
Sources familiar with Deer Park operations told Reuters that contractors were carrying out work on a sulfur recovery unit when the release of hydrogen sulfide occurred.
Hydrogen sulfide is a gas produced during the refining of crude oil. Can cause death if high concentration is inhaled.
Pemex reported in a statement on Friday that because the two deceased contractors are from service provider firms, it cannot provide detailed information.
With information from Reuters
