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Two years after an explosion at Dalton Foundries in Warsaw, an employee and a widow of an employee have filed lawsuits against the company.
The June 22, 1995, explosion resulted in three deaths and injuries to more than a dozen workers. Robert Wells of Pierceton died the day of the blast; John Parker of Larwill died a day later; and Terry Wood of Warsaw died the following week.
On Friday, lawsuits were filed by Ida Parker - John Parker's widow - and Rodger Darnell, who was working at Dalton Foundries and was injured in the explosion, but survived despite his initial critical condition. He has not returned to work.
Both complaints allege that Dalton "negligently made alterations to the furnace which blew up making it more dangerous and likely to explode and cause injury to individuals located in the vicinity of the furnace."
The injuries and deaths were caused when a water nozzle broke and mixed with molten iron resulting in a series of explosions. Many workers were splashed with the 2,000-degree molten metal.
Parker suffered third degree burns to nearly 90 percent of his body and died at St. Joseph Medical Center in Fort Wayne about 24 hours after being injured.
Darnell, of Huntington County, remained in critical condition more than a week after being burned, spent seven weeks in the burn center and continued driving back to Fort Wayne for treatment almost daily after his release. He suffered severe burns to his hands and arms, as well as being burned on his back and head.
Neither of the lawsuits specifies an amount for settlement - both ask for "an amount commensurate with the damages sustained," and cite lost wages for Darnell and loss of the value of the decedent's earnings in the Parker case.
The Parker lawsuit contains two counts, including medical and hospital expenses, funeral and burial expenses, and loss of consortium.
Both cases were filed by Warsaw attorney Christopher D. Kehler and both are asking for a trial by jury.
Additional lawsuits against the company are reportedly pending.
