HOUSTON – A Spring Branch couple has filed a lawsuit against Watson Grinding and Manufacturing.
Phillip Burnam and his girlfriend Deztini Southhall is suing the company after an explosion at the facility damaged their home, which caused injuries to their children.
Southhall said the children Paris, 4, and Phillip, 7, suffered neck injuries and are now having breathing problems.
"When I went into my daughter’s room, she was completely covered in sheetrock, insulation debris. I couldn’t see her,” she said.
Burnam said he went to check on their son and found a similar scenario.
“I turned the light on, and I just saw the whole ceiling was gone and it was all on the bed, I couldn’t see my son,” Burnam said.
Southhall said she and Burnam have also experienced breathing issues.
“I still wake up in the middle of the night dreaming about it,” said Southhall. “My daughter, she wakes up crying, it’s just hard.”
The family hired attorney Ryan Zehl with Zehl & Associates. Zehl said Watson Grinding and Manufacturing needs to take responsibility for the explosion.
“For their failure to properly contain the propylene and for the property damage to our clients home and the serious injuries that their kids and their parents sustained,” Zehl said.
Southhall said their home has been declared uninhabitable, and they are staying at a nearby hotel.
The couple said the toughest part is feeling like the Watson Grinding and Manufacturing are not doing their part to help them during this difficult time.
"It’s not our fault, so you should be responsible. You should want to take care of the damages you caused,” Southhall said.