Woman sues over 2015 El Pecos blast

MORE than four years after she was injured during an explosion while collecting food at the Maraval branch of the El Pecos Restaurant, an insurance agent has sued the restaurant and the LPG gas supplier for a little over $.2 million.

Nicole Gillian Blake, who was collecting lunch, suffered calf, palm and upper arm/elbow injuries. She is suing for compensation for personal injury arising out of the fire and explosion at El Pecos on February 5, 2015. She has asked for a total of $285,753 in general and special damages.

Her case came up for hearing in the Port of Spain High Court yesterday before Justice Frank Seepersad, but was adjourned for it to be joined with another matter filed in relation to the incident at El Pecos.

On that day, one man – John Soo Ping Chow – died and 11 people were injured.

Soo Ping Chow died four months after the explosion, at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

At the time of the blast, there was said to be a "leakage of gas from the delivery line of the North Plant LPG truck."

Blake, who is represented by attorney Rudyard Davidson, is suing El Pecos and North Plant LPG for negligence. Her lawsuit says while she was collecting food, she smelt a strong odour of gas and promptly dropped her food and ran for the exit.

Her lawsuit added that immediately after she got outside, “a thunderous explosion ripped through” the building, and the doors and glass windows were blown out and the entire eatery engulfed in flames.

Blake was thrown six feet to the ground. She was left with glass fragments embedded in her calf, as well as cuts to her palm, elbow and forehead, for which she had to have plastic surgery.

She has claimed loss of income as well as future medical expenses.

No date has been set for the rescheduled case management conference hearing.