According to the lawsuit, Jeffery Lee Lawson was on a vessel about 500 feet from the company’s facility at the time of the leak.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A new lawsuit filed against BWC Terminals claims a worker on a ship near the company’s facility suffered injuries when a massive tank leaked up to a million gallons of sulfuric acid last month.
The incident happened in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 27, at the facility located along Jacintoport Boulevard. Authorities said a catwalk structure collapsed, damaging a sulfuric acid line and triggering the leak.
According to the lawsuit, Jeffery Lee Lawson was on a vessel about 500 feet from the company’s facility at the time of the leak.
“Mr. Lawson heard a loud crash and subsequently saw a large gas cloud being released from the terminal,” the lawsuit claims. “No alarms, warnings, or notifications were provided by Defendants.”
The lawsuit said Lawson was “enveloped” by the gas cloud. It claimed Lawson was diagnosed with chemical exposure and inflammation of his lungs and suffered burns to the lungs, throat, skin, and other parts of his body.
KHOU 11 has reached out to BWC Terminals for a comment on the lawsuit. The company said it does not comment on pending litigation, but remains “committed to operating safely, responsibly, and in compliance with all applicable regulations.”
At the time of the incident, the company, in a statement, said the majority of the sulfuric acid had been released into a designated containment area, but an unknown amount leaked into the Houston Ship Channel.
Below is the full statement BWC Terminals provided on the day of the leak:
“At approximately 1:40 a.m., an incident occurred involving a spent sulfuric acid storage tank at BWC Terminals’ Jacintoport facility.
“The incident involved a 25,000-barrel storage tank containing approximately 1 million gallons of spent sulfuric acid. The majority of this material was released into the facility’s designated containment area. However, an unknown amount of product did enter the water at the Jacintoport slip off the Houston Ship Channel, but there have been no reported impacts on marine life, and the Houston Ship Channel remains open.
“Emergency response teams and regulatory authorities remain on site and are actively engaged.
“Continuous air monitoring is underway to ensure the safety of employees and the surrounding community. BWC Terminals is working closely with appropriate agencies to manage the situation and mitigate any potential environmental impact.
“All employees at BWC Terminals are safe and accounted for. A total of 44 individuals were evaluated on-site, and two were transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment; both have since been released.
“The safety of our employees, local communities, and the environment remains our top priority.
“The cause of the incident is still under investigation. We will continue to provide updates as additional information becomes available.”
Got a news tip or story idea? Email us at newstips@khou.com or call 713-521-4310 and include your name and the best way to reach you.