Lawsuit: Gas Utility’s Neglect Led to Fatal KY House Explosion
Explosion attorneys at Pritzker Hageman have filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family of three people killed in a Wolfe County, KY house explosion. Filed in Wolfe Circuit Court in Kentucky, the suit alleges that Troublesome Creek Gas Corp. failed to adequately respond to concerns about the smell of gas.
The home, located on Harvest Church Loop Road, exploded around 3:30 p.m. on November 23, 2019, with six people inside. Phillip Vanderpool, 52, and his wife Sueann Vanderpool, 48 were instantly killed in the blast. Albert Vanderpool, 80, suffered burns and other injuries and died days later.
According to the lawsuit, the family had called Troublesome Creek to complain of a gas smell at least four times in the five days preceding the explosion. On one visit to the home, a Troublesome Creek technician cam to the home but did conduct any gas readings. Another time, a technician came and did no repairs. On two more occasions, the family called but technicians did not come. Then, on the day of the explosion, technicians came to the house. They conducted an inspection, told the family they were leaving and would return and that it was safe to reenter the home. Thirty minutes later, the home exploded.
“They had the right to expect that the gas company would let them know if there was a gas leak or any other unsafe condition. Instead, the opposite occurred,” Explosion Attorney Eric Hageman told WYMT. “The gas company told the Vanderpools the home was safe and, as a result, three people died in an explosion. The Vanderpool family has suffered tremendously and they are simply seeking some accountability for this needless tragedy.”
Pritzker Hageman explosion lawyers represent clients nationwide and have secured multiple settlements of more than $20 million for their clients. For a free consultation with our Explosion Team, call 1 (888) 377-8900 (toll-free), text 612-261-0856 or complete the form below.
