Families File Lawsuit In Deadly North Texas Chemical Plant Explosion

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A lawsuit argues employees killed and injured in a chemical explosion in March 2018 may not have fully understood the dangers of the materials they were working with.

The fire and explosion at the Tri-Chem blending facility in Cresson killed 27-year-old Dylan Mitchell, and left co-worker Jason Speegle with permanent burn injuries.

The suit from Speegle and Mitchell's family says the warning label and instructions on the sodium chlorite product they were working with failed to give adequate warnings of the products dangers, or how to avoid an injury.

The suit names Tri-Chem Industries, and three other companies in the supply chain including one in China.

"I haven't seen any literature that came with the product, that adequately warns of those risks and hazards, and avoiding those risks and hazards, and of the severe consequence of not avoiding those hazards," said John Jose, an attorney representing the families.

The suit says employees were blending a sodium chlorite solution in March, when Mitchell's foot inadvertently made contact with a container lid on the floor.

That caused sparks that ignited spilled product on the floor, which spread to his clothes, and then a large open container of product that exploded.

Tri-Chem referred CBS 11 to an attorney for comment, who was not immediately available to respond.

Employees were on site at the facility in Cresson on Tuesday, where it appeared business operations have resumed.