Petrotrin 75% liable in death of worker in 2004 explosion

A court in San fernando ruled Monday that state-owned Petrotrin was 75 per cent liable for an explosion in 2004 on an offshore platform in which technician Kenneth Merrique was killed.

The court also ruled that Valve Components Limited (ValCom) was 25 per cent liable. Both companies will have to pay damages, according to the ruling. The court will assess the damages on March 21, 2011.

The lawsuit was brought by Anthony Chin-A-Fat, who was injured in the explosion. He was on the platform at the time of the explosion, working with Merrique, a senior supervisor with ValCom,

Justice Kokaram ruled that the oil company had “failed to ensure the valve was properly maintained before the accident” addin g that Petrotrin also “failed to depressurise the system” before work was started on valves that were being checked. The judge also reuled that “ValCom did not discharge its duty to care for Chin-A-Fat.”

Two other lawsuits arising from the same incident are pending in the San Fernando Supreme Court.