Browsing: AG Ken Paxton rejects demand to give feds access to section of Rio Grande

The line of people pursuing litigation in connection with the Fort Worth hotel explosion grew longer Wednesday, with at least three lawfirms now representing clients who say they were affected by the blast. Houston-based Zehl & Associates announced it is representing eight hotel employees “who were seriously injured” in the explosion, according to a Wednesday news release. The firm is also representing spouses of two people who were injured in the blast, which occurred at about 3:30 p.m. Jan. 8 in the 800 block of Houston Street in downtown Fort Worth. ADVERTISEMENT The suit names Atmos Energy Corporation, Sandman Management (Nevada) Inc. and Northland Developments Inc. as defendants, in addition to Rock Libations Group, the company that operates Musume, according to the release. Related:What we know about the Sandman Signature Hotel building explosion in downtown Fort Worth Breaking News Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond. Enter your email address SIGN UP Or with: GOOGLEFACEBOOK By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy The suit accuses defendants of being “negligent in the upkeep and maintenance of natural gas utilities at the location” and failing to take “necessary precautions to ensure safety,” according to the news release. It also alleges that “there were multiple reports of a strong gas smell in the building” before the explosion. “The defendants in this case knew there was a risk that this sort of tragic accident could happen, and they simply didn’t take the time or effort to either fix the issues or warn our clients of the dangers,” Ryan Zehl, the law firm’s founding partner, said in a written statement included in the release. ADVERTISEMENT In a written statement Wednesday evening, Northland Properties said senior executives of the company had traveled to Fort Worth to help with “local management.” “We are holding regular meetings with our team members to provide updates, extend ongoing counselling services, and address their concerns,” the company wrote. “We have also submitted Workers Compensation forms for all those who were hurt during the incident and relevant information has been shared with all team members. Team members continue to be compensated while we gain a better understanding of our operations moving forward.” Northland Properties will continue to “cooperate with the investigation” of the explosion, the statement noted. The company said it will not be commenting further on the “specific assistance” that it is providing, and described the situation as a “confidential legal matter.” At least two other lawsuits have been filed in connection with the hotel explosion, which injured 21 people. In response to one of the lawsuits, in which a restaurant worker claims to have reported the smell of gas 90 minutes before the blast, a Dallas County judge on Friday granted a one-week restraining order halting the cleanup of debris. ADVERTISEMENT Related:Employee hurt in Fort Worth hotel explosion files lawsuit, says he reported gas smell In a news release Friday, Fort Worth fire officials said Atmos had finished its assessment of natural gas pipeline outside the hotel and “found no indication that its system was involved” in the Jan. 8 explosion, but added that the department remains “confident that natural gas was involved.” “We will transition our investigation focus to inside the structure,” the department said. A 2018 Dallas Morning News report examined multiple gas leak incidents that injured or killed people in North Texas involving Atmos Energy, and the response of the Railroad Commission of Texas, the agency charged with ensuring that gas companies operate safely. Atmos Energy and Northland Properties did not immediately reply to a request for a statement regarding the lawsuit, and Rock Libations Group declined to comment.

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AUSTIN — Texas will disregard the federal government’s demand to give Border Patrol agents access to the Rio Grande through a state-controlled…