February 28, 2021, 14-year old Zalee Gail Day-Smith was killed near her home after an oil field tank battery exploded while she was hanging out with friends. Oil field tank batteries are storage sites for oil wells that are not connected to major pipelines. These large metal tanks can hold hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil, and can give off flammable fumes. Zalee Gail Day-Smith and her friends would frequently hang out around these tanks where there was no fence, gate, or warning signs.
Despite not knowing exactly what happened at the site when Day-Smith died, new rules have been put in place to minimize the chance of it happening again.
Tank sites within 500 feet of a home or highway, 1,000 feet of a church or school, or anywhere within the limits of a town, city or village must follow these rules:
- Operators to build fences at least four feet high around the site with gates that are lock when they are unmanned;
- All tank hatches must be securely sealed, except for those that are part of a pressure relief system; and
- Signs noting hazards the tanks pose.
Tank batteries were a known danger before Day-Smith’s death. 26 deaths were report by U.S. Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board between 1983 and 2010 due to lack of warning and fences. These new rules have been put in place with the aim to minimize future accidents.
The attorneys at Broussard, David & Moroux have the knowledge and experience necessary to handle boating and tubing incident cases and will fight to obtain fair compensation for the injuries of yourself or your loved ones. If you, or a loved one has suffered harm because of the fault of another, contact the attorneys at Broussard, David & Moroux to discuss your legal rights at (337) 233-2323 (local) or (888) 337-2323 (toll-free).