Explosions leave wreckage. We build proof and take on the companies behind it.
A refinery or chemical plant is engineered to control the uncontrollable volatile chemicals, extreme temperatures, pressure, and flammable vapor. When an explosion happens, itâs not because no one saw it coming. Itâs because layers of protection failed: a leak that wasnât fixed, an alarm that was ignored, a procedure that became optional, a contractor job that went sideways, a restart that shouldâve been delayed.
McEldrew Purtell represents workers, contractors, and families nationwide after catastrophic injury and wrongful death caused by chemical plant and refinery explosions. We approach these cases like an investigation because the truth is usually hidden in the data, the maintenance backlog, and the decisions made weeks before the blast.
How Much Is Your Case Worth?
The Reality: âRoot Causeâ Is Rarely One Thing
In major industrial explosions, defendants often point to a single spark and stop there. We donât.
We look at the full chain:
- What failed first (leak, corrosion, overpressure, control issue)
- Which safeguard should have stopped it (relief systems, alarms, shutdowns, gas detection, ventilation)
- Why it didnât (disabled, bypassed, poorly maintained, under-designed, ignored)
- Who controlled the risk (operator, contractor, vendor, engineer, manufacturer)
Thatâs how accountability is proven.
Explosions and Events We Handle
We investigate catastrophic incidents involving:
- Vapor cloud explosions and flash fires
- Overpressure events (vessel rupture, piping failure, exchanger rupture)
- Fires and explosions during shutdowns/turnarounds
- Hot work ignitions (welding/cutting near vapors or residues)
- Hydrogen, hydrocarbons, and solvent explosions
- Boiler, steam, and fired heater explosions
- Tank farm explosions and loading/unloading incidents
- Release events involving toxic chemicals alongside burns/blast trauma
Common Failure Points in Plants and Refineries
Instead of listing every possible cause, hereâs what we see most often when the paper trail comes out:
Leaks That Became âNormalâ
- Corroded piping, thinning walls, degraded gaskets
- Temporary clamps and patched repairs
- Repeated small releases that never triggered real corrective action
Process Safety Shortcuts
- Incomplete or outdated hazard analysis
- Changes made without adequate management-of-change review
- Procedures that exist on paper but donât match the way the unit is run
Alarms, Interlocks, and Shutdowns That Didnât Protect Anyone
- Alarm fatigue and poor alarm management
- Safety instrumented systems bypassed to keep operations moving
- Faulty sensors and untested logic
- Delayed emergency shutdown decisions
Permit, Isolation, and Line-Break Failures
- Lockout/tagout breakdowns
- Confined space hazards and inadequate gas testing
- Residual hydrocarbons in âclearedâ lines
- Misidentified piping and valve lineups during maintenance
Contractor and Turnaround Risk
- Multiple employers, unclear control, rushed schedules
- Inadequate job hazard analysis and supervision
- Startup/restart decisions made under production pressure
Emergency Response That Came Too Late or Wasnât Equipped for the Hazard
- Gas detection that didnât trigger timely evacuation or shutdown
- Delayed notification to on-site response teams or local fire services
- Firewater/suppression issues (low pressure, inoperable monitors, valve problems)
- Confusion over muster points, headcounts, or accountability for contractors
- Inadequate spill control/containment that allowed a small release to escalate
Who Can Be Held Responsible
Depending on the incident, liability may extend beyond the facility operator. We pursue claims against all responsible parties, which may include:
- Plant/refinery operators and parent companies
- EPC/engineering firms and consultants
- Maintenance contractors and turnaround crews
- Equipment manufacturers (valves, vessels, pumps, heaters, controls)
- Safety system vendors (detectors, alarms, shutdown systems)
- Transport and loading contractors (tank trucks, rail, marine transfer)
We focus on who designed, maintained, controlled, or bypassed the safety layers.
The Evidence That Matters and Disappears Fast
After an explosion, the scene changes quickly. Units are rebuilt. Components are replaced. Digital systems overwrite data. Internal âinvestigationsâ start immediately.
We act early to preserve:
- DCS/SCADA and historian data (alarms, trends, overrides, trips)
- Safety system records (SIS testing, bypass logs, proof tests)
- Inspection and integrity records (corrosion surveys, thickness readings)
- Work orders, backlog lists, and deferred maintenance documentation
- Management-of-change files and hazard analyses
- Turnaround schedules, permits, JHAs, and contractor scopes
- Video footage, shift logs, operator narratives, and emergency response timing
- Physical components for metallurgical and failure analysis
Catastrophic Injuries in Chemical and Refinery Explosions
These cases commonly involve:
- Severe burns, grafting, and permanent disfigurement
- Blast injuries and amputations
- Traumatic brain injury from impact or oxygen deprivation
- Lung injury from smoke, heat, and toxic exposure
- Complex orthopedic trauma and spinal injury
- Wrongful death
We build damages with life-care planning and the right experts to document what the injury truly costs over a lifetime not just what it cost in the first hospital stay.
For Families After a Fatal Plant Explosion
If you lost someone in a refinery or chemical plant explosion, you deserve clear answers. We help families:
- Understand what happened and why
- Identify responsible third parties beyond the direct employer
- Preserve evidence before itâs âcleaned upâ
- Pursue wrongful death claims and full accountability
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