$6.5 million Judgment Against Pipeline Companies Over Wildfire







A jury in Stillwater has ordered two pipeline companies to pay more than $6 million in damages over a 2012 wildfire that was sparked by welders ignoring a day-old statewide burn ban.

The jury ordered IPS Engineering L.L.C. and Global Pipeline Construction LLC to pay $6,520,583 in damages to 72 plaintiffs who lost homes, property and their farmland was burned south of Glencoe four years ago. The jury also ordered IPS Engineering to pay another $1 million in punitive damages while Global Pipeline Construction has to cough up $100,000 in punitive damages.

The fire happened Aug. 4, 2012 when company workers were welding even though the governor had issued a state-wide burn ban the previous day. The fire burned nearly 5,000 acres.

The jury reached its verdict after a nearly seven-week long trial and said the two companies had acted in what it called “reckless disregard” of the rights of others.

The companies were constructing the Parnon Pipeline which is located from Cherokee to Cushing. Other lawsuits filed due to the fire are still ongoing.