Insurance company sues Husky over oil release [The Lima News, Ohio]

Nov. 29--LIMA -- An insurance company has filed a lawsuit against Husky Energy for damage to two cars it said was caused by a release of a mist of oil into the air two years ago.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance filed the lawsuit this month on behalf of Charles Fuller for damage to two Ford Mustangs, one from 1992 and the other from 1993. The lawsuit said there was more than $10,000 damage to each car that it had to cover.

Lima Refining Co. also was named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

The release of a mist of oil occurred the morning of Nov. 22, 2009, and spread west to northwest of the refinery. Husky paid for the cleaning of houses and cars that were sprayed by the fine oil mist. Oil also was sucked out of the Ottawa River.

Husky further set up a line for residents to call to report problems. It was estimated the oil mist stretched as far downwind as five miles, based on complaints.

The lawsuit is the second known legal action against Husky. Curtis L. Coats, of Catalpa Avenue, filed a lawsuit in July 2010 saying he suffered $4,066 in medical bills as a result of the release. The lawsuit did not describe the nature of his injuries or how he was injured. Coats' lawsuit still is pending.

Both lawsuits accused Husky employees of negligently allowing the release to occur.

The incident was blamed on a boil over of a mostly empty 4-million-gallon oil tank that split at the top of the South Metcalf Street refinery. The release happened while the refinery was about to go back into production after a maintenance turnaround that began more than a month earlier. It was the third time the refinery has had similar incidents since 1996.

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