Missouri's attorney general has sued a utility over an explosion of a home that killed a 5-year-old
LEXINGTON, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's attorney general sued a natural gas company Monday over the explosion of a home in a small town that killed a 5-year-old boy, accusing the utility of violating a state safety law.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey's lawsuit came less than a week after federal investigators said in a preliminary report that a Liberty Utilities employee failed to mark a section of a gas line before another company drilled into it while installing a fiber optic cable. The April 9 explosion destroyed a home in Lexington, a town of about 4,500 people about 55 miles (89 kilometers) east of Kansas City.
The blast killed Alistair Lamb and injured his 10-year-old sister, Cami, and their father, Jacob Cunningham. Bailey's lawsuit, filed in Lafayette County Circuit Court, alleges that a Liberty employee 'falsely' told the company installing the fiber optic cable that all gas lines had been marked. The lawsuit called the explosion a 'preventable tragedy.'
Bailey said Liberty violated a state law designed to ensure that digging for underground water, sewer and telecommunications lines is safe. Bailey is seeking a $10,000 fine for each day the section of gas line wasn't marked and wants a special monitor appointed to ensure that the company complies with the law.
The company said in a statement that as a party to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board's ongoing investigation, it cannot comment much about the explosion or the lawsuit. Liberty said it will continue to help families affected by the explosion and 'support broader recovery efforts.'
'Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our customers, employees, and communities,' the statement said. 'We remain fully committed to working with authorities and regulatory agencies to support the ongoing investigation into the cause of the incident.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
This Walmart Store Has Seen a ‘Huge' Decrease in Shoplifting After Making 1 Major Change
A Walmart in Missouri has seen a significant reduction in shoplifting since removing self-checkout lanes in April 2024 Local police state that calls and arrests to the supercenter have decreased by over half in a year-over-year comparison In an email to PEOPLE, Walmart stated that it currently does not have plans to remove self-checkout options in any other storesA Walmart in Missouri has dealt with significantly less crime after tearing out its self-checkout lanes. In a recent presentation to city officials, Shrewsbury Police Chief Lisa Vargas stated that police calls and arrests at a local Walmart supercenter were down by over half when compared to the same period in the previous year, per local news outlet the Webster-Kirkwood Times. Walmart removed the self-checkout option at the Shrewsbury location in April 2024. Prior to the change, many people were checking themselves out and not paying for items, per the outlet. Vargas stated that in January through May 2024, the Shrewsbury Police Department responded to 1,915 calls — over 25% of which came from the local Walmart. In the same period in 2025, only 11% of calls were regarding issues from the store, per the Times. 'That's a huge change. We really appreciate Walmart taking initiative and removing those self-checkers,' Vargas said during her presentation, per the outlet. PEOPLE reached out to the Shrewsbury Police for comment on Friday, June 20, but did not receive an immediate response. 'We're always looking for ways to innovate in our stores, including the checkout experience,' Charles Crowson, Walmart's Director of Global Affairs, said in an email to PEOPLE. 'Any adjustments are based on varying factors, including feedback from associates and customers, shopping patterns and business needs in the area,' he continued, adding that Walmart does not have plans to remove self-checkouts from other locations. This isn't the first time that Walmart has implemented changes in an effort to prevent shoplifting. In 2024, the retailer introduced handheld scanners at select locations, which enabled employees to ensure that shoppers were not using old or fake receipts to walk out of stores with unpaid items. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The chain also has been making changes to combat card skimming, which is a tactic used by thieves to steal credit card information by installing official-looking devices over the existing devices at self-checkout stations, per ABC affiliate WSET. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Browns player files huge lawsuit against another NFL team
The Kansas City Chiefs are being sued by one of their former workers. Disgruntled ex-employees are nothing new, but this situation goes pretty deep. Ramzee Robinson was the Chiefs' Director of Player Engagement, a position responsible for supporting players' well-being and development both on and off the field. Robinson is a former NFL player himself having played cornerback for the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, and Denver Broncos. He then finished out his playing career for two seasons in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Advertisement In the 2007 NFL draft, Robinson was named Mr. Irrelevant as he was the final pick by the Lions. Robinson is suing the Chiefs for wrongful termination, filing this week in an 11-page complaint in the United States Court for the Western District of Missouri - Western Division. The core of the lawsuit claims racial discrimination. RELATED: COMPLETE COMPLAINT ROBINSON V CHIEFS According to Robinson's complaint, there are several issues. He was let go this past February, six days after the Super Bowl loss. For one, he is stating that black employees of the Chiefs are paid less than their white counterparts. Secondly, there is a videotape that accuses Robinson of acts against a female office worker, and the Chiefs fired him without allowing him to see the video evidence. Another claim is that another NFL team, the Houston Texans, wanted to interview him for an open position, but the Chiefs halted that process. CB Ramzee Robinson The lawsuit is seeking an unspecified number of damages, but the docket includes a demand for $5 million. In a nutshell, Robinson is suing for racial discrimination, team retaliation, and tortious interference with business expectancy in regards to the interference with the Texans' interview. Advertisement In regard to the claim that black employees are passed over or paid less, the suit gives an example of a black female employee who was paid $50,000 a year and was refused a promotion. After she resigned, a white female, Melissa Weinsz, who is a Ph.D., replaced her at a rate of $80,000 a year. When asked for a comment on the suit by Pro Football Talk, Chiefs V.P. of football communications Brad Gee stated what is pretty much a standard response in these situations: 'We can't comment because it's an active legal matter. But to be clear, the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We look forward to the facts of this case coming to light.' Robinson entered the league in Round 7, after playing cornerback at Alabama with 50 games played. He graduated with a degree in business management. After his pro career ended, he earned a master's degree in professional counseling from Webster University. He is currently a doctoral candidate at The Chicago School in Applied Behavior Analysis. Cleveland Browns v Philadelphia Eagles After two seasons with Detroit, he signed a one-year deal with the Eagles but was released towards the end of the 2009 season after playing three games. The Browns claimed him off waivers. Robinson played in four contests and was inactive for another while with Cleveland. He had five total tackles, all on special teams. He then spent time with Washington, Denver, and Saskatchewan. Advertisement Robinson's complaint states that he was fired by Kansas City for 'conduct detrimental to the league.' He was employed for nine years with the Chiefs, which began at a salary of $35,000 and grew to $125,000 a year. But in the suit, it alleges that he was underpaid in his profession in comparison to other NFL clubs with the same job title, with salaries around $171,000. When asked for a review, Robinson states the team declined. Robinson's attorney, Katrina Y. Robertson, issued this statement to the press: 'My client dedicated years of professional service to the Chiefs organization and supported players through critical personal and professional challenges. This lawsuit seeks to hold the organization accountable for the systemic inequities and retaliation he faced for simply demanding fairness.' According to the Chiefs, the video is at the heart of this matter. Apparently, the security cameras picked up Robinson attacking Weinsz. This will ultimately become the key piece of evidence in the case. The Chiefs are claiming that Robinson is dangerous and has acted inappropriately around white female co-workers. Advertisement In the lawsuit, Robinson, age 41, is demanding a jury trial. The termination began when Robinson's supervisor, Kirsten Krug, accused him of attacking a 'white female coworker' after seeing the security footage. The woman was Weinsz. After the Super Bowl, Krug went into Robinson's office and accused him of the attack. When asked to review the video, Krug and the Chiefs refused. The Chief of Security was summoned, Robinson's employment was terminated, and Krug confiscated his laptop. Attorney Robertson stated: '(Robinson) unequivocally denies having been in an altercation with anyone.' The lawsuit goes on to say that Robinson's firing was a direct result of his race. When the Texans were asked about Robinson and his accusatory issues, the team declined to comment. Advertisement The relevant language in the complaint appears in paragraph 24: 'Some months before his termination, Mark Donovan pressured Plaintiff to renew his contract and claimed that the contract would offer him stability. After Plaintiff signed, the Houston Texans asked KC Chiefs' management to interview Plaintiff. The KC Chiefs refused. The KC Chiefs told the Texans that an interview would violate his contract. Plaintiff discovered this information when a representative from the Texans called him personally and asked him about this missed opportunity.' Regarding this portion of the complaint, the NFL's Anti-Tampering Policy covers this situation. 2025 NFL Draft - Previews The Chiefs had every right under the policy to refuse to allow Robinson to interview with Houston because they weren't offering him a high-level position, and it is considered to be a lateral move. In fact, the very essence of Robinson mentioning the Texans may work against him. The fact that he states the Texans 'called him personally and asked him about this missed opportunity' just may become a violation of the Anti-Tampering policy. Houston may also be in violation if this rings true. Teams cannot reach out to employees of other teams without permission or if those employees have expired contracts. In the end, the Texans just might become involved in a tampering investigation by the NFL. Advertisement More from
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
One person dies after head-on crash on I-435: KCPD
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A crash on I-435 near Cookingham Drive left one person dead Thursday evening, June 19, the Kansas City Police Department says. Police say that at around 6:30 p.m., a Toyota RAV4 was heading eastbound on I-435 near Cookingham Drive when the driver crossed the median and struck a semi-truck traveling westbound head-on. Lee's Summit IHOP workers say weeks have gone by without pay The driver of that RAV4 was ejected and died, and was the only occupant of the vehicle, according to police. While the driver of the semi-truck was reportedly unharmed, the collision ruptured the fuel tanks of the truck and caused the truck and trailer to become fully engulfed in flames, KCPD says. KCPD also said that at this time, the westbound lanes of I-435 remain closed. This is the 36th fatality compared to 48 at this time last year. This is an ongoing investigation; FOX4 will provide updates as they're made available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
