PITTSBURGH – An Ohio man contends that negligence on the part of a Western Pennsylvania man loading liquid oxygen into a storage tank caused him to be engulfed in flames when he discarded a lit cigarette in the vicinity.
John Knight and Marcy Knight of Steubenville, Ohio, filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Oct. 18 versus Bradley Kuriger of Lyndora and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., of Allentown.
“The events hereinafter complained of occurred on or about Sept. 13, 2022 at approximately 5:41 a.m. at the Universal Stainless facility located at 600 Mayer Street, Bridgeville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 15017. At all times material hereto, plaintiff John Knight was walking towards the melt shop at the Universal Stainless facility. At the same time, defendant Kuriger was offloading liquid oxygen into a storage tank at Universal Stainless near the melt shop,” the suit said.
“Upon information and belief, defendant Kuriger left the vent valve open on the storage tank while attempting to fill the storage tank with liquid oxygen allowing approximately 34,040 pounds of liquid oxygen to convert to a gas and escape to the surrounding area, creating an oxygen-enriched atmosphere. At the same time, plaintiff John Knight threw a cigarette butt onto the ground, which came into contact with the gaseous oxygen, causing leaves and other materials to ignite, and causing plaintiff John Knight’s legs, torso and arms to become engulfed in flames.”
The suit continues that as a result of Kuriger failing to safely offload the oxygen in question, plaintiff John Knight was caused to suffer catastrophic bodily injuries.
“As a direct and proximate result of the negligence and carelessness of defendant Kuriger, plaintiff John Knight sustained the following injuries: Third-degree burns to 65 percent of his body, requiring multiple skin grafts with cadaver skin and ultimately requiring him to undergo bilateral, below-the-knee amputations; Blood infection, decreased range of motion, decreased strength, decreased mobility, increased need for assistance from others, impairment of ability to perform activities of daily living, increased dependence upon others, permanent scarring and disfigurement and other serious and severe injuries as the medical records may reveal or have yet to be diagnosed,” the suit states.
For counts of negligence and loss of consortium, the plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of statutory arbitration limits of Allegheny County.
The plaintiffs are represented by Brad D. Trust and Amber L. Manson-Webb of Edgar Snyder & Associates, in Pittsburgh.
The defendants have not yet secured legal counsel.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-22-012543
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com