Fall at refinery results in lawsuit

A worker is suing over claims he was injured at work when he fell through improperly laid out caliche.

Charles Rowry filed a lawsuit Oct. 14 in Jefferson County District Court against Echo Maintenance, citing negligence.

According to the complaint, Rowry was employed by Motiva Refinery as a lead RCM on Feb. 14, when one of his subordinates asked for assistance turning on an important pump across from the No. 27 pump house. Rowry says he was forced to walk over an area of ground Echo Maintenance had recently filled in with caliche, which was not properly laid out, causing him to fall through and sustain serious injuries. The defendant is accused of negligence in failing to properly fill in the holes it dug at Motiva Refinery.

Rowry seeks more than $1 million in damages, including lost earnings, loss of earning capacity, medical expenses, interest, attorney fees and costs of court. He is represented by attorney Taylor Miller of Reaud, Morgan and Quinn in Beaumont.

Jefferson County District Court case number: A-196268