Texas oil refinery 'dangerous' says lawyer for worker killed in fire (updated)

Golden Triangle Ventures

20/05/2023 01:07

(Adds Marathon comment)
    By Erwin Seba
       HOUSTON, May 19 (Reuters) - An attorney representing the
family of a 55-year-old Marathon Petroleum  MPC.N  refinery
worker killed in a fire at the Texas facility this week called
the plant where he worked "dangerous" on Friday.  
    Scott Higgins died in a fire when a seal on a pump, near
where he was performing maintenance at Marathon's Galveston Bay
Refinery in Texas City, ruptured and created a blaze that
engulfed him in flames. 
    "He was burned to death at the plant," said attorney Tony
Buzbee at a media briefing on Friday where he alleged safety
conditions at the second-largest U.S. oil refining complex have
not improved in a decade. 
    Higgins' family plans to file a gross negligence lawsuit
against the oil refiner and other firms involved in the plant's
maintenance, he said. Buzbee is seeking documents on the plant
and maintenance, according to court filings. 
    "Marathon, due to negligence and disregard for the
well-being of everything but their bottom line has devastated me
and my family," said Alyssa Higgins, a daughter of the deceased
worker.
    A Marathon spokesperson said the company is committed to
determining the cause of the incident and has invested more than
$1 billion on safety and regulatory upgrades since acquiring the
facility. 
    "Our OSHA recordable incident rate (ORIR) is better than the
industry average. We remain committed to continuous improvement
in all aspects of safety, and our goal is to eliminate injuries
at our site," a spokesman said in a statement. "The safety of
our workers and the community remain paramount."  
    The company said this week it launched an investigation into
the blaze but has not released any findings. 
    "Scott always thought he might die at that plant," Buzbee
said. "He had talked to his daughters about it and his family
many times. And the reason he talked to them about it is because
that plant is very dangerous," Buzbee said.
    "This wasn't an unfortunate catastrophe," Buzbee said.
    The facility has had a history of accidents under Marathon's
ownership since 2013 and under its previous owner, BP Plc
 BP.L , records show. A worker at the same plant was killed
after he was electrocuted earlier this year, and in 2005, a
vapor cloud released from an overflowing processing unit
exploded, killing 15 contract workers and injuring 180 others.

 (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Aurora Ellis and
Jacqueline Wong)
 ((erwin.seba@thomsonreuters.com; +1 832 746 4269;))