The Northern California city of Richmond on Friday sued Chevron Corp, saying the company was willfully negligent in a massive refinery fire and a smoke cloud last year that sent thousands of people to hospitals.
Richmond city officials filed the lawsuit in Contra Costa Superior Court seeking unspecified damages.
Health workers, environmental and community groups planned to rally in Richmond on Saturday in advance of the one-year anniversary of the Aug. 6 fire. The fire, which was started by a pipeline rupture, knocked out the refinery until April.
"The lawsuit seeks damages for the harm caused to the city of Richmond and its community but more importantly is designed to make sure that Chevron changes its corporate culture and makes sure the same thing doesn't happen again," said Frank Pitre, one of the lawyers representing the city in the lawsuit...
