GATESVILLE, Texas — The mother of a man killed in an explosion at Coryell Memorial Hospital filed a wrongful death lawsuit Thursday seeking more than 1-million dollars.
The suit claims negligence on the part of Atmos Energy Corporation, Lochridge-Priest, Inc. and Johnson Controls, Inc. caused the explosion on June 26 that killed Dimas.
The explosion occurred at a construction site next to the hospital in Gatesville. Thirteen people were injured. Dimas, Michael Bruggman and Filiberto Morales were killed.
The State Fire Marshal's Office is the lead agency in the investigation. They said the initial investigation indicated the explosion was a construction related accident resulting in a natural gas explosion.
According to the the lawsuit, Atmos Energy provided the natural gas and/or had control over the lines through which natural gas was supplied to the hospital campus.
On the day of the blast, Atmos Energy, Mid-Tex reported a natural gas explosion within the boiler room of the hospital which had been undergoing renovations to the Texas Railroad Commission.
The lawsuit includes acknowledgment that the investigation into the blast was ongoing and that additional information will "surely be uncovered that may and probably will necessitate further, additional and/or different allegations, including the potential of adding additional parties to the case or dismissing parties from the case."
