TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) – Jury selection is scheduled to begin today for the civil trial of three workers who were severely injured in an explosion at the Hunt Oil Refinery in west Tuscaloosa.
The explosion happened on May 13th, 2001 and injured Riley Spain, Kathy Traweek and Terri Williams.
The three are not blaming Hunt for the fire. They are seeking damages from Beaumont, Texas-based Conex International, claiming the company was responsible for the blast.
Tuscaloosa attorney Bob Price, who is representing Spain and Traweek, said Conex employees left a steel pipe hose loose on a machine, causing employees in the refinery’s control room to get a false reading, which in turn caused the explosion.
A lawyer for Conex declined to comment—saying the company will outline its case in court today.
