SCRANTON – A welder who suffered second-degree burns in a “catastrophic” gas explosion at a job site is suing the corporate owner of the property where his accident took place.
Torin Shover of Petersburgh, Ind. filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on Aug. 18 versus Reading Anthracite Company, of Pottsville.
The suit says Shover was acting in the course and scope of his employment with T&E Welding, Inc., when he was working at the defendant’s Wadesville P-33 mine in Pottsville, helping to remove a pump at the Wadesville Shaft Pump House.
“Shover was working on a landing above the floor surface of the Wadesville Shaft Pump House while several of his co-employees were using acetylene torches to burn and remove couplings from the pump drive shaft,” the suit says.
“Some hot slag from the aforesaid burning process fell down the pump shaft causing an ignition of combustible gases that had accumulated in the shaft. As a result of this ignition, a fireball came up through the shaft and engulfed Shover causing him to suffer serious, painful and catastrophic injuries.”
As a result of the aforementioned incident, Shover suffered severe and permanent injuries including, but not limited to, second-degree burns to his face, ears, neck, hands, arms and legs, with resulting scarring and other injuries, all of which may be permanent in nature.
“Defendant, having undertaken the inspection and supervision of the project, owed a duty to those persons engaged in the performance of the work, including plaintiff, a business invitee, to provide a reasonably safe working environment, free from exposure to unreasonable hazards while performing services related to the project,” the suit states.
For a count of negligence, the plaintiff is seeking damages in his favor, plus interest, costs and any and all other relief this Court deems appropriate and just, plus a trial by jury.
The plaintiff is represented by Jordan S. Friter of the Law Office of Robert A. Stutman, in Fort Washington.
The defendant has not yet secured legal counsel.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania case 3:20-cv-01465
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com