Lawsuit Filed by Workers Injured in Bedford Explosion at Scrap Metal Processing Facility

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster):  The circumstances surrounding a catastrophic explosion and fire in Bedford last year at a scrap metal processing facility are headed to court.

A deadly explosion and fire at I. Schumann and Co. on February 20, 2023, killed employee Steven Mullins, 46 of North Ridgeville, and injured at least 15 others.

Now a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of 13 workers at the plant and 5 of their spouses has been filed in Cuyahoga County Court, alleging that R&T Sheet Metal Fabricators, Inc. and Forest City Erectors, Inc. are responsible. The suit alleges water jackets installed on one of the foundry’s furnaces were according to the lawsuit, “not reasonably safe for their intended use and were defective in design and construction,” among other things.

Attorney Jordan Lebovitz, a Partner with the law firm of Nurenberg, Paris, Heller and McCarthy Co., LPA filed the complaint on August 29th.

He states because of the traumatic explosion some of the employees won’t ever be able to work again, “It is a true tragedy of mass proportions. A lot of individuals we represent suffered very severe and disfiguring burns to portions of their body -- including their face, back, hands, arms, and legs, it is quite unfortunate.”

The catastrophic explosion happened according to OSHA, when water leaked onto the molten metal inside the furnace, causing a steam explosion at the Alexander Road facility.

Attorney Lebovitz tells 19 News, “There’s no question this is a preventable incident. There’s a multitude of failures involved and we are just scratching the surface by filing this lawsuit. Now it’s time to collect even more data and evidence. There’s a multitude of failures here. There’s no question, because we know for certain that a furnace should not explode.”

The I. Schumann and Co. plant has remained closed since the explosion that literally rocked it’s foundation.

Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said the company did not make sure that required lockout/tag out procedures were followed during the inspection of the furnace. OSHA has cited the company for six violations and has proposed $62,500 in penalties.

The investigation is also under investigation by the State Fire Marshal, as well as local police and fire.

Courtesy: www.cleveland19.com