Two neighbors of a Kentucky plant that was the site of a massive explosion are suing the company, saying the blast earlier this month damaged their homes and caused emotional trauma.
Edward Roberts and Ana Carolina Gomez Bridge filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Givaudan Flavors Corporation and its parent company, Givaudan U.S. They say the company was negligent leading up to the Nov. 12 explosion of a cooking vessel inside the plant that destroyed the building, killed two workers and flung debris into nearby yards and homes. The two residents live in the same home that backs up to the plant.
“Givaudan failed miserably to operate their business responsibly, and the consequences were catastrophic,” Tad Thomas, a Louisville lawyer representing the two residents, said in a media release.
The company has said they are liable for damages to the surrounding homes. The company’s president, Ann Leonard, said in a community meeting last week that it is likely the plant will be moved out of the neighborhood and rebuilt elsewhere.
Last week, the family of one of the plant workers who died in the blast hired lawyers who said they are exploring a lawsuit. Another lawsuit filed against the company last week was from a food delivery driver who was in the area when the explosion happened.
Charles Fowler said in the lawsuit that the blast triggered post-traumatic stress disorder from his service during the Iraq war.