CLEVES, Ohio — A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Central Railroad of Indiana, INEOS Group and more after a tanker car leaked styrene in the Cleves and Whitewater Township area for several hours on Tuesday, leading to evacuation and shelter-in-place orders.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of "thousands of individuals and many businesses damaged, traumatized or otherwise injured," claims the owners of the railroad, rail car and the company that produced the styrene owe them damages for lost wages and the mental and physical suffering. The lawsuit asks for reimbursement for those lost wages, as well as the creation of a fund to provide a medical monitoring program as a result of the potential effects of exposure to styrene.
We've reached out to the parties named as defendants in the lawsuit for a comment. We have not yet heard back.
The lawsuit was filed less than two days after the leak was reported. You can read the full suit below.
Nearly 20 years ago, a rail car near Lunken Airport leaked dangerous levels of styrene, causing residents to evacuate. The styrene lingered in the air for days, and roughly 800 homes and 70 businesses were affected.
Residents were able to return to their homes after three days. After residents returned, it seemed issues related to the styrene remained.
The 2005 leak also led to a class-action lawsuit that resulted in a "multi-million dollar recovery" for people and businesses affected, according to the Goldenberg Schneider Law Firm, which spearheaded the lawsuit.
READ MORE:
FAQ: What to know if you were impacted by the evacuation in Cleves, Whitewater Twp.
What is styrene? A look at the health, environmental impacts from chemical leaked from a train car near Cleves
