County Files Lawsuit in the Dominguez Channel Odor Incident

Los Angeles County Jan. 13, filed a lawsuit against the tenants and property owners of the warehouse in Carson where a massive fire released illegally-stored chemicals into the Dominguez Channel and created hydrogen sulfide gas odors that caused a public nuisance affecting thousands of residents. 

The lawsuit, filed in Superior Court, names 10 defendants, including Liberty Property Limited Partnership, which owns the warehouse, and its parent company, Prologis Inc.

The suit alleges that the tenants and the corporate owners of the warehouse facility were aware of the hazards and fire danger at the site and could have taken steps to prevent the dangerous conditions that led to the fire, but failed to do so.  As a result of the fire, chemicals from the site entered the storm drain and then the channel resulting in the creation of hydrogen sulfide gas that significantly impacted thousands of County residents. 

The County and its Flood Control District incurred tens of millions of dollars in response costs from the resulting incident, including relocation benefits for residents, air filters, and various abatement measures.

The lawsuit seeks to: 

• Recover the County’s costs incurred in responding to the incident;
• Obtain injunctive relief and civil penalties for the public nuisance, the unlawful business practices, and the violations of hazardous waste and other laws.

The complaint is available here.