A Texas family has filed a lawsuit following the tragic death of a father of two, who was crushed by a 1,000-pound piece of equipment at a chemical plant, according to court documents.
Garrick Newell, aged 28, lost his life on February 7 while he was working as a contractor at the TPC Group chemical plant located in Houston.
TPC Group operates several plants throughout North America where they process C4 hydrocarbons, essential for manufacturing, as stated on their website.
Newell had been called to the site to remove a bell head from a boiler maker, as explained by the family’s attorneys, Scott Armstrong and Mo Aziz, to KTRK.
“This piece of equipment, over 1,000 pounds, flew around 15 feet and struck him,” asserted Aziz.
According to the lawsuit reviewed by KTRK, the lawyers conducted an investigation at the TPC Group plant and discovered that the facility allegedly failed to “properly maintain equipment,” which they claim resulted in Newell’s untimely death.
‘Nothing happens at these plants without the authority and permission of the owner, of the operator,’ Armstrong told the outlet.
Newell’s widow, Candice Newell, who filed the suit, claimed that the task Newell was assigned was ‘unsafe.’
Garrick Newell, 28, died February 7 while working as a contractor for TPC Group at a plant in Houston
Newell was husband to Candice Newell. The pair shared one daughter and Newell was stepfather to Candice’s firt daughter
Candice and Newell had been together fore more than seven years. They married in 2022
‘The unsafe operation was performed at the specific direction and control of the TPC Group,’ the lawsuit alleged.
The pair shared one daughter, Dallee. Newell was the stepfather to Candice’s first daughter, Hadley.
He was often away from their home in Rosevine for extended periods of time, sometimes a week or more, but he always returned.
According to his obituary, Newell was dedicated to his work and his family.
‘He was a man whose life was anchored by the joy he found in his family,’ it read.
‘Garrick’s loved ones were his world, and he cherished every moment spent with them. His warmth and loving nature will be deeply missed by all who knew him.’
He began working as a general foreman supervisor after high school and specialized in refinery shutdowns.
A month after his death, Candice shared a tribute to her late husband on social media.
‘A month today since you’ve been gone,’ she wrote. ‘A month since my baby lost her Daddy and Hadley lost her Garrick. And I lost my husband.’
‘We love you and miss you so much and would do anything just to have one more day with you. Rest easy, baby.’
The pair married in 2022 and had been together for more than seven years, per Candice’s social media.
Newell’s family filed a civil lawsuit against TPC following his death. The suit alleged that the company failed ‘to properly maintain equipment’
According to his obituary, Newell was a dedicate father and husband who loved his work
TPC Group previously made headlines in 2019 after three explosions at its facility in Port Neches left multiple people injured.
According to a report by the US Chemical Safety Board, the fire burned for more than a month following the blasts.
The board alleged that TPC neglected issues with the substances involved in the explosion. Per its analysis, the company did not have an ‘effective’ safety management system.
The board also concluded that $150 million worth of damage was caused outside of the facility as residents were forced to evacuate.
The Daily Mail contacted TPC Group, Armstrong and Aziz for comment.
