League City House Explosion – TRO filed against Centerpoint – On-site inspection reveals new information – Press Conference Called

PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT

League City House Explosion – TRO filed against Centerpoint – On-site inspection reveals new information – Press Conference Called

November 30, 2022, 9am CST – Several homeowner residents in La Porte Texas have filed a temporary restraining order and a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Centerpoint Energy of Houston for damages associated with a fire an explosion in their neighborhood. At least three of the plaintiffs sustained burns in the fiery explosion and one of the plaintiffs remains in critical condition at a local hospital with severe burns over most of her body. The explosion and fires occurred midday last Saturday in a quiet League City neighborhood, which apparently is adjacent to an underground gas pipeline.

The cause of the explosion is believed to be from leaks in the gas line owned by Centerpoint Energy, whose crews have been excavating and repairing a number of lines in the neighborhood since the explosions occurred. The homes involved are “all electric” and do not have any of the gas lines running into their respective homes, which gas detection devices have now confirmed accumulated high levels of gas fumes inside nonetheless.

The smell of gas had been noted by adjacent neighbor homeowners, who also related they had been reporting the strong smell of gas in the area for some time back to Centerpoint through a hotline prior to the explosion occurring.

This incident comes on the heels of another horrific gas explosion just last year that seriously injured six of Centerpoint’s own employees who were attempting repairs to a gas line.

“We have confirmed that Centerpoint had received and failed to respond to complaints about this problem, and that there has been a history with slow or nonexistent responses to community concerns in the past. Any company, but particularly a Fortune 500 company, can timely respond to these types of complaints. Every 6-year-old knows that gas can cause an explosion and reports of gas leaks must be taken very seriously. These folks didn’t even have a gas line to their house and yet gas leaking from nearby lines appears to have found a way into the homes and accumulated to an ignition source, with an all too expected consequence,” said Brent Coon, who is acting as lead counsel for a team of lawyers already on the case. “We will be working to hold those accountable responsible and have already conducted on-site inspections with our own experts and initiated litigation to ensure that all the evidence in the matter is properly preserved. We remain cautiously optimistic that everyone who was injured survives and fully recovers, but burn injuries last a lifetime.”

The lawsuit includes a temporary restraining order which will be heard by the court later this week. It was filed by lead plaintiff firm Brent Coon & Associates with two other partner law firms managed by Brooks Harrison and Byron Buchanan, both of the Houston area. The team was highly successful in a multi-million dollar verdict a few years ago emanating from HISD misconduct causing a local contractor to suffer extensive loses in a breach of contract.

Brent Coon will be holding a press conference via ZOOM today at 1pm CST – following the on-site inspection currently underway. Contact Kevin Chatham to attend.