Phoenix Legal Solicitors are pursuing compensation claims for victims of the New Ferry gas explosion.
The incident caused:
- injury to around 80 people,
- made 78 individuals immediately homeless,
- damaged residential properties, and
- forced the closure of 28 businesses.
What caused the New Ferry gas explosion?
The cause of the explosion was attributed to a local shop owner, Mr. Pascal Blasio, who was the sole Director of ‘Homes in Style’.
In 2019, Mr Blasio was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of causing an explosion that endangered life and committing fraud related to an insurance claim submitted to his insurers NFU Mutual following the explosion.
Contract Natural Gas (CNG), the company that supplied gas to Blasio’s property, pleaded guilty to an offense under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £320,000 and ordered to pay £50,000 towards prosecution costs.
Phoenix Legal pursuing claim
Now, Phoenix Solicitors is pursuing claims for 61 individuals, 57 of whom were injured in the explosion and four who suffered property damage.
The claims are being brought against CNG, who have entered administration, Aviva and QBE insurance, who insured CNG, and Cadent Gas Limited.
On April 25, 2023, the High Court in Liverpool will provide directions to the parties on how the claims should proceed.
Each property has a unique number identifying the gas supply, which is held on a central database.
It is alleged that an employee of CNG identified the unique number MPRN5500 in respect of the gas supply to number 43 Bebington Road, not 41 Bebington Road, and removed the gas meter supply to MPRN5500. However, a Meter Removal Engineer incorrectly stated that the address of the gas supply was 41 Bebington Road instead of 43 Bebington Road.
CNG informed the central database that the meter to the gas supply had been removed.
Both CNG and Cadent Gas were then under a duty to physically disconnect the gas supply with the unique number MPRN5500 to the mains within 12 months.
However, on two occasions, a Cadent Gas employee attempted to disconnect the gas supply MPRN5500 from the mains but left without finding it.
Consequently, Blasio used the gas supply to cause an explosion to make an insurance claim. CNG and Cadent Gas deny liability for their failings.
The next steps
On April 25, Phoenix Solicitors will ask the Court to provide directions for a “split trial” on liability.
If accepted, the Court will list the matter for a liability trial to determine whether CNG and/or Cadent Natural Gas contributed to Blasio causing the explosion by failing to disconnect the gas supply.
If either company is found to have contributed, they will face claims for over £3 million on behalf of all those bringing claims against them.
View the article on Birkenhead News.
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