WCIA.com's Bradley Zimmerman and Tyler Hill reported that a production technician severely injured in an explosion at ADM's Decatur facility has filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming it ignored federal safety regulations that led to the blast.
Kaleb Ogilvie suffered skull fractures, advanced degree burns and lung injuries in the Sept. 10, 2023, explosion that injured eight employees. He was placed in a medically induced coma for weeks afterward.
The lawsuit, filed by Springfield attorney Timothy Shay, alleges the explosion occurred when hexane gas, used in soybean oil extraction, escaped during a plant shutdown and spread throughout the facility.
According to the complaint, ADM violated its own written procedures by operating without a hexane sensor and alarm system, and by propping open doors that allowed the gas to enter the ventilation system.
OSHA previously cited ADM for four violations related to the incident, resulting in over $50,000 in fines.
