Man Killed In St. Cloud Gas Line Explosion

Settlement/Verdict: Confidential

Attorney: Paul K. Downes
Practice Area: Worker Injury
Client Injury: Death

Many Minnesotans remember the sad news from downtown St. Cloud, Minn., when a gas line explosion in December 1998 leveled an entire city block and killed four people, injuring 15. According to federal investigators, construction workers drilling an anchor into the ground to brace a utility pole punctured a plastic natural-gas pipe, causing the leak that led to the explosion.

Our client, a worker for then Northern States Power Co. (NSP), now Xcel Energy, was called to the scene to help with repairs when the explosion occurred. He was killed instantly, leaving behind a wife and two adult daughters. We contended that the subcontractor hired to install the utility pole for a fiber optic cable, as well as other defendants in the case, failed to take appropriate action to both prevent and respond to the gas line hit.

This case was one of five cases from the explosion that involved very extended litigation over a five-year period. The cases were set for trial in Jan. 2004 but settled in December. The settlement amount was significant but at the request of plaintiff and defendants, the amount is subject to a confidentiality agreement.

Contact the law offices of Sieben, Grose, Von Holtum & Carey for a free consultation. We encourage you to make this first step toward resolving your legal matters so that you can get back to your life.