BEAUMONT – A lawsuit seeking up to $25 million in damages and boasting more than 600 plaintiffs has been brought against German Pellets Texas over a fire at its facility that erupted two years ago.
Heneefah Akilah Abdullah, along with 600 other individuals, filed the suit April 2 in Jefferson County District Court, also naming Cotton Commercial USA as a defendant.
According to the suit, On April 15, 2017, a German Pellets storage silo in Port Arthur caught fire. The fire raged for around 52 days.
Pinkerton
“The smoke from that fire spread throughout the city, invading plaintiffs’ homes and the breathable atmosphere,” the suit states. “Plaintiffs became physically ill from inhalation of smoke and chemical products released.”
The suit also states that the plaintiffs’ homes were damaged as a result of the incident.
Cotton Commercial was called upon to control and extinguish the fire.
“Defendant Cotton utterly failed to act reasonably – allowing the fire to rage for 52 days,” the suit states.
The suit also named a John Doe as a defendant – the individual who manufactured and sold safety sensors to German Pellets that the plaintiffs believe failed.
The plaintiffs allege the fire was “intentional, reckless, extreme and outrageous,” causing “severe emotional distress” to be inflicted upon them.
They are accusing the defendants of gross negligence and malice and seek an award of punitive damages.
Houston attorney Chad Pinkerton represents them.
Judge Mitch Templeton, 172nd District Court, has been assigned to the case.
Case No. E-203640