Detroit, MI: An environmental class action lawsuit alleging property damage has been filed against the Marathon Oil following an explosion and fire at the refinery in Melvindale on April 27.
Two law firms, Hertz Schram and Macuga, Liddle & Dubin, have filed the class action lawsuit which is seeking over $25,000 in damages on behalf of residents affected by the fire and its aftereffects.
The explosion happened at about 6:00 pm, and it took firefighters over two hours to extinguish the blaze. It began in a small tank that was used to store petrochemical feedstock for production units. The explosion and fire sent a large black plume of smoke into the air in the surrounding neighborhood. Nearby residents were forced to leave their homes for several hours without any notice. "These residents are concerned for their safety and want answers about what happened,"said Liz Thompson, one of the lawyers who filed the suit. Residents were asked to go to the city-owned ice arena while the air was tested for harmful substances.
