Two More Inmates Join Pipeline Explosion Lawsuit

New developments in the gas pipeline explosion in Northwest Fresno.

Two more inmates have joined the lawsuit against PG&E and will likely sue Fresno County as well.

The explosion on April 17th injured eleven people including an inmate crew that was working at the sheriff’s gun range near Herndon and Highway 99.

A county employee was moving dirt in the area when the gas line ruptured.

You can see the charred earth and trees where the explosion occurred at the fresno sheriff’s gun range a week and a half ago.
The gas pipeline on the edge of that range ruptured as a county employee was working with a front end loader.

The exact cause of the blast is under investigation. But the attorney for three injured inmates says PG&E bears some of the responsibility for the blast.

"You would not expect something in the magnitude of an explosion because of a nicked line. What you would expect is a gas leak, not an explosion," said attorney Butch Wagner.

Wagner is representing three men who were part of an inmate work crew picking up shell casings at the range the day of the explosion,
including 35-year-old Sam Ouk who suffered burns to his face, neck and arm.
27-year-old Gabino Pizano who has burns on his head.
and 25 year old Edgar Torres who was also burned.
Wagner contends the men’s injuries are the result of negligence by PG&E in maintaining the gas line, and that’s why it exploded.

"If that’s common place there are land mines all over this state laid there by PG&E." Wagner said.

Wagner says he will draw from the pipeline explosion in San Bruno back in 2010 that killed eight people. Earlier this month, PG&E was fined 1.6 billion dollars in that explosion.

"The documents and experts and discovery from that case, we will be using in this case," Wagner said.