Louisiana-Pacific Corp (LP) is suing The Teaford Co for US$4.5m in connection with a May 2008 explosion and fire at the company’s new OSB mill in Thomasville, Alabama, that injured several employees, reports The Tennessean.
LP filed the suit against the Alpharetta, Georgia-based drying equipment on April 1 in the US District Court Middle District of Tennessee.
It alleges that Teaford is guilty of breach of contract and negligence and subject to a products liability claim because the explosion originated in a heat source system the equipment supplier had installed.
The suit alleges the system allowed thermal oil to overheat and evaporate into a combustible cloud that ignited, causing the explosion and fire. LP is seeking a court-ordered arbitration of the dispute, reports the newspaper.
