A settlement has been reached between victims of a deadly propane explosion in Copiah County and a Mississippi gas company one year after the devastating incident.
On January 14, 2023, an explosion at a home on Wilderness Road claimed the lives of four people and left two others with injuries.
Houston Jordan, 18, was the first recorded death at the scene of the incident, followed by 14-year-old Tolar Jordan at the University of Mississippi Medical Center a day later. Police confirmed that 43-year-old Benji Jordan was pronounced dead at the Mobile Burn Center the following day. 52-year-old Jeremy Mitchell is also said to have succumbed to injuries sustained at the residence.
Mitzi Jordan and Samantha Britt, both of whom were injured by the explosion, filed a lawsuit against Herring Gas. Though the State Fire Marshal’s office was unable to determine the cause of the explosion, attorneys representing the victims blamed human error on the part of Herring employees to be the reason for the tragic occurrence.
“Specifically, we believe that the propane tank was improperly inspected, installed, as well as the propane gas improperly installed … the night before the incident,” family attorney Ben Wilson said, per the Daily Leader.
Through a private investigation spearheaded by the victims’ legal counsel, it was discovered that the propane tank at the home was misidentified as an ASME tank when, in reality, it was a DOT cylinder. ASME tanks are designed for stationary use, while DOT cylinders are designed for transportation and can be removed.
The tank, said to be 70 years old and corroding, ultimately gave way as the cylinder ruptured due to increasing pressure from within, prompting the explosion.
As a result of the investigation, the impacted family was able to reach a settlement with Herring Gas. The details of the settlement have not been made available.
