September 29th, 2005

A lawsuit has been filed in St. Louis by two men that claim a fire caused by explosions scattered asbestos debris in the area. The men are suing a Praxair compressed gas plant following the fire, and have stated that the company failed to provide adequate notification to the public with regards to its actions and the possible consequences.

The lawsuit filed by the two men is seeking class action status, so ultimately a large number of people could be involved in seeking compensation for potential injuries and health problems caused by exposure to asbestos.

The lawsuit alleges that Praxair negligently stored and operated materials at the plant, and that the company did not properly control the materials at its site. The lawsuit further alleges that this negligence resulted in the release of toxic substances, including asbestos, which is a known carcinogenic.

One of the attorneys that had filed the lawsuit stated: “The purpose of the lawsuit is to ensure that everybody’s interests are being protected and the cleanup is being done correctly and completely.”