A settlement has been reached in the first trial involving the 2013 West Fertilizer Co. explosion. A notice posted on the website for McClennan County, Texas, stated only that potential jurors were "excused," and that a "settlement has been reached covering the portion of the cases you were summoned for." The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Plaintiffs in the opening case included the families of three first-responders killed in the April 17, 2013, blast: Kevin Sanders, 33; William "Buck" Uptmor Jr., 45; and Kenneth Luckey Harris Jr., 52. Defendants include West Fertilizer owner Adair Grain Inc. and several fertilizer companies that either manufactured or sold ammonium nitrate to West Fertilizer in the months prior to the explosion, including CF Industries Holdings Inc. and related CF companies, International Chemical Co. (Inter-Chem), and LSB Industries Inc. and its subsidiaries El Dorado Chemical Co. and Thermaclime Inc.
Judge Jim Meyer of Waco’s 170th State District Court had earlier summoned 400 prospective jurors to come to court on Oct. 9 to fill out questionnaires, with jury selection slated to begin on Oct. 12. The potential jurors were notified on Oct. 11, however, that the case had been resolved and they no longer needed to report for jury duty.
Meyer has divided the multi-party lawsuits into three trial groups. The lawsuits involve about 200 plaintiffs who are seeking damages, including the families of those killed and injured, the City of West, and a nursing home and apartment complex that were heavily damaged. Meyer said a trial date for the second group of plaintiffs is scheduled for early winter 2016.