Lawsuit considered over deadly Ardmore refinery fire

  • February 19, 2026

Photo Credit: Family Photo

 

The February 9 fire at the Valero Ardmore Refinery that killed one worker and injured four others has already resulted in legal action by one of the employees and fundraising efforts for the man who died.

At the same time, a fundraising effort is underway for Jesse Biscamp, the worker who died from injuries two days after the fire. He had been transported to a Dallas hospital.

The fire was extinguished the same night and the company said the cause remains under investigation. So far, no official cause has been identified.
But it already led to promises of a lawsuit, according to a report by KXII TV News. Ryan Zell, an attorney in Houston, was hired by one of the injured workers who did not want to be identified.
Zell explained the employees were working in the crude unit of the refinery.
“A different contractor was pressure washing a piece of equipment called an exchanger. Exchangers commonly contain and process liquid hydrocarbons, a highly flammable compound,” explained Zell.
The attorney told KXII news he believes the hydrocarbons came into contact with another piece of equipment operating at a high temperature.

 “When you combine heat, of course, with a combustible, you’re going to have a fire or an explosion,” he said, adding that the Ardmore refinery had been recognized for its safety procedures in the past.

“If those same safety rules and regulations had been followed as they had in the past, we wouldn’t be here today. We wouldn’t have workers in the hospital.”

It was not the first such fire at the Ardmore refinery. A previous fire and explosion in April 2020 injured two workers.

In the days following the fire, friends, family, and community members quickly organized fundraisers to assist Biscamp’s wife and children. A GoFundMe has also been established to assist the family with medical and funeral expenses.

One family-approved fundraiser currently underway includes a live drawing for a 30×30 concrete slab (4 inches thick, approximately $7,000 value). Spots are $100 each, with 100 total spots available. Organizers said proceeds benefit the Biscamp family.

Supporters may also send donations via

Cash App: $jessebiscampstrong26

 

Jerry Bohnen