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New assessment shows 450 structures damaged by Houston blast
Monday, January 27th, 2020

An updated assessment released Monday of the impact of a massive explosion at a warehouse in Houston that killed two workers and injured 20 others shows that 450 structures, mostly homes, were damaged.

The new total is more than double the initial assessment of about 200 damaged structures after the explosion early Friday at a building at Watson Grinding and Manufacturing. The company produces valves and thermal-spray coatings for equipment in various industries.

Also Monday, the surviving family of one of the two workers killed filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Watson — the fourth lawsuit filed against the company in the wake of the blast.

Employees Frank Flores and Gerardo Castorena were killed in the explosion. Flores’ family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Watson alleging the company failed to provide a safe workplace and failed to enforce safety rules. The company declined to comment Monday.

Authorities say an additional 20 people were injured — two other warehouse workers and 18 others from neighboring homes and businesses. The cause is being investigated.

Of the structures that were hit, 358 suffered minor damage, said Cory Stottlemyer, a spokesman for Houston’s Office of Emergency Management. Another 35 had major damage, including partial failures of a roof or walls, while 57 were affected, meaning they had mostly cosmetic damage, Stottlemyer said.

https://www.marketbeat.com/articles/new-assessment-shows-450-structures-damaged-by-houston-blast-2020-01-27/?utm_source=earlybirdnewsletter&utm_medium=email