Living in Houston is an amazing experience, but like anywhere else, it is also a place where accidents can occur on a regular basis. Although, due in part to the industrial nature of area businesses and the unpredictable and sometimes violent side of Mother Nature that arises from the Gulf of Mexico, the Houston area has been the scene of a number of terrible, sometimes large-scale accidents.
Anyone who has lived in Houston for a handful of years can undoubtedly recall a number of these shocking or major accidents that dominated the headlines and nightly news. The following are five of the worst accidents in the Houston area.
Fatal ammonia cloud
On May 11, 1976, a commercial truck was carrying 7,500 gallons of anhydrous ammonia and driving northbound on the 610 West Loop. The driver lost control at the Southwest Freeway exit and plunged off the exit ramp where the vehicle fell 15 feet to the freeway below.
The damages caused by the crash unleashed a toxic cloud of ammonia, resulting in the deaths of seven people and severely burning the lungs of anyone who was in close contact. More than 100 were treated for injuries.
Phillips chemical plant explosion
On Oct. 23, 1989, a series of explosions and resulting fire occurred at the Phillips 66 facility in Pasadena, Texas. The initial explosive blast registered a 3.5 on the Richter scale and the ensuing fire took another 10 hours to bring under control. Sadly, the disaster killed 23 employees and injured more than 300.
BP refinery explosion in Texas City
On March 23, 2005, an explosion in the BP refinery in Texas City occurred when a hydrocarbon vapor cloud was ignited and killed 15 workers and injured more than 180 more. The refinery was the second largest oil-refinery in that state, and it suffered severe damage as a result of the explosion.
Hurricane Harvey
Texas has seen its fair share of destructive and damaging hurricanes or tropical storms over the years, like Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike, but the more recent onslaught by Hurricane Harvey is still burned into the memory of most. While the hurricane itself is a natural disaster, the flooding and aftermath wrought a great deal of havoc on the area and triggered countless accidents. There was the Arkema chemical plant fires in Crosby, or the tragic story of the family of six that was swept away in their van by floodwaters as they tried to flee their home. This hurricane went down with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, inflicting more than $125 billion in damage.
Fatal school bus accident
On Sept. 29, 2015, two high school students died, and three others were seriously injured (including the driver) when a collision with another vehicle caused the school bus to plunge from an overpass along the 610 South Loop near Telephone Road. Any accident involving children is absolutely tragic, and this type of event is every parent’s worst nightmare.
Dealing with an Accident
We hope accidents will never happen to us, and because of this, we are often not prepared to deal with them when they do.
Human error or negligence is one of the most common causes of accidents, and when that’s the case, you’ve often got legal recourses to help recover damages for lost wages, medical bills, and more. The law firm of Fears Nachawati has helped countless families to recover after being involved in car accidents, workplace accidents, commercial truck accidents, or many other types of personal injuries. If you’ve suffered due to the negligence of someone else, you don’t have to shoulder that financial burden alone. Having great legal representation is one of the best steps you can take following an accident.
For your free, no obligation legal consultation, please call the personal injury and accident lawyers of Fears Nachawati at (866) 705-7584 or visit one of our offices located throughout the great state of Texas, including right here in Houston on Kirby Drive.