Marengo, Iowa – A worker who suffered severe burns in an explosion at a roofing shingle recycling factory in Marengo in December 2022 has filed a lawsuit against the company and its owners. The lawsuit alleges that the workplace was unsafe and that the company misrepresented and withheld information about the manufacturing process.
The explosion led to the evacuation of surrounding neighborhoods and a 17-hour firefight by dozens of firefighters. Cody Blasberg, the plaintiff, suffered disfigurement and loss of bodily function as a result of the explosion. His wife and children are also plaintiffs in the lawsuit, claiming they have lost his support and companionship.
The lawsuit alleges that the company was using a proprietary chemical solvent to melt the shingles into their components, and that the solvent released toxic vapors that were combustible. The defendants are accused of denying entry to the plant to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources staff and failing to provide information about the chemical makeup of the mixture. The lawsuit also claims that safety procedures, such as shutting off machinery before servicing, were not enacted.
The lawsuit further alleges that the defendants failed to have an operational automatic sprinkler system for fires, violated safety standards for handling toxic or flammable chemicals and oils, and withheld information about the nature of the manufacturing process.
The lawsuit seeks both actual and punitive damages. Another worker who was injured in the blast has also filed a similar lawsuit. Both workers were employees of a subsidiary company whose work was controlled by the defendants at the site of the explosion.
The subsidiary company and its workers’ compensation insurance carrier have filed liens against any future resolution in order to recover workers’ compensation claims that have already been paid out. The lien filings indicate significant amounts of compensation have already been paid to the injured workers.