Energy center employee killed in explosion. $150M. Riverside County.

Facts and Background

• Facts and Background:

  On March 6, 2017 an explosion occurred at the Sentinel Energy Center just outside Palm Springs. Workers were shutting down a part to the high pressure natural gas power plant when gas was trapped in a fuel filter.

  As Daniel Collins was removing the lid of the filter, the lid exploded, killing Collins instantly. Collins left a wife of 25 years and an adult son, age 23. Defendant Diamond Generating Corporation was the parent company of DGC-OPS that operated the Sentinel Energy Center.

• Plaintiff's Contentions:

  Plaintiffs claimed Diamond Generating Corporation undertook safety at the plant by hiring the manager, placing the manager in charge of safety at the plant, providing safety policies, reviewing the plant manager's performance in safety, reviewing safety procedures at the plant, specifically the procedure in use the day of the explosion.

  A senior Diamond Generating Corporation safety and compliance officer admitted under cross-examination to reviewing safety procedures at the plant and admitting Diamond Generating Corporation was responsible for safety at the plant when Collins was killed. Additionally, Diamond Generating Corporation had a meeting discussing safety procedures and how to inform workers of changes in the procedures just weeks before the explosion and did not inform workers of changes. A similar "near miss" exactly like the one that killed Collins happened three years before, but nothing was done to prevent it from happening again.

• Defendant's Contentions:

  Defendants contended they did not undertake safety and it was the responsibility of other parties. Defendants presented contracts that had provisions that other parties were responsible for safety at the plant in spite of the plaintiffs contentions. Additionally, defendant blamed the plant workers and Collins for causing the explosion.