The parents of a 46-year-old woman who worked as a hostess in a Kansas City restaurant are suing several companies after an explosion and fire there caused her death.
A drilling project was underway outside JJ’s Restaurant when a gas line was severed. The restaurant was completely flattened, sending black smoke hundreds of feet into the air, damaging surrounding businesses.
Investigators say the explosion was caused by the ignition of natural gas leaking from a line adjacent to the restaurant. A city official said this sparked a block-engulfing blaze.
The victim’s body was not recovered until the following day.
The Kansas City Star reported that the victim’s family filed the wrongful death lawsuit in Jackson County Circuit Court against Missouri Gas Energy, Time Warner Cable Midwest, USIC Locating Services Inc., Southern Union Co., Heartland Midwest LLC and Michael Palier, a Heartland Midwest employee.
JJ’s and owner James Frantze filed suit earlier in May against the same group of defendants looking to recover property damages, according to court records.
There have been other lawsuits filed since the explosion.
For more information, feel free to contact one of our Gacovino Lake attorneys at 1-800-246-HURT (4878).
