El Dorado Sues Air Liquide Over 2012 Blast

El Dorado Chemical Co, the operator of a south Arkansas chemical plant that exploded in 2012, has filed a federal lawsuit in Oklahoma against Air Liquide, as supplier of industrial gas for the facility.

The subsidiary of Oklahoma City-based LSB Industries argued that the supplier was responsible for more than $100 million in damage and losses resulting from the explosion.

According to local news reports, it accused the French company of negligence for failing to properly maintain oxygen pipes at the nitric acid plant in El Dorado, Arkansas.

Air Liquide supplied the plant with gaseous oxygen to manufacture nitric acid. The lawsuit claims the explosion was caused by contaminants in piping installed and maintained by the company.

Contaminants in the pipes maintained by Air Liquide ignited a "violent oxygen fire, resulting in a catastrophic explosion," the lawsuit said.

The explosion occurred when the plant was restarted after being shut for a more than two week maintenance turnaround. There were no injuries.

In 2013, LSB Industries received a $113 million payment from its insurance company.