South MS Chevron workers sue over ‘explosion’ company described as fire
Five workers claim in a lawsuit filed against the Chevron Corp. that they were injured in a July 14 “explosion” at the company’s Pascagoula refinery.
The lawsuit alleges the employees have been permanently injured because of gross negligence on Chevron’s part. The law firm Arnold & Itkin, which has offices in Texas and Louisiana, filed the lawsuit in Harris County, Texas, which includes most of Houston, where Chevron is based.
“Chevron authorized hot work in an area where flammable gases were present, directly injecting those gases into a space where workers were ordered to operate,” a news release from the law firm says. “The ignition of those gases led to a devastating fire and explosion, leaving the plaintiffs with severe burns, permanent physical and psychological injuries, and long-term impairments that have prevented them from returning to work.”
The workers want to be compensated for medical expenses, lost wages, physical impairment, emotional trauma, and other damages. They also are asking for punitive damages, saying that Chevron displayed a “conscious disregard for worker safety” despite the risk.
The lawsuit alleges other failures at Chevron, including improper gas monitoring, and failure to purge flammable materials and give employees adequate warnings and training.
Chevron has not yet had time to respond to the lawsuit, which represents only one version of events. The company previously characterized the incident as a fire, saying at the time that four workers were injured, with three hospitalized, because of a fire in the wastewater treatment area.
In response to the lawsuit, the company released a statement that said: “Protecting people and the environment is one of Chevron’s core values, and we strive to operate safely and responsibly. We are aware of the lawsuit, which we are reviewing.”
Staff Writer Martha Sanchez contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 29, 2025 at 9:54 AM.
