PORTER RANCH, Calif., Dec. 11, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newly released time lapsed video of the massive Aliso Canyon gas leak shows a rolling cloud of methane gas barreling down a mountain towards Porter Ranch, according to attorneys R. Rex. Parris and Brian Panish, who are representing Porter Ranch homeowners alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Frank Petosa.
“The video comes as 1,143 families have relocated, and another 2,512 are waiting to be processed for temporary housing. The shocking new video was shot with a specialized infrared camera used by regulators to find leaks at natural gas facilities. It highlights the horrifying scale of the issue facing residents. The video captures the gas cloud, at 60x speed, as it escapes containment in the storage well located at the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) facility in Aliso Canyon, and moves downhill towards Porter Ranch residents,” said attorney Brian Panish.
Previously released video, using the same infrared FLIR GF320 camera, shows a hazy cloud drifting slowly through Porter Ranch neighborhoods.
“As the dangerous methane cloud intensifies, an unprecedented 3,655 families are seeking to escape the area. However, instead of being provided the comparable housing they were promised, families of four, five and six now find themselves holed up in a motel and hotel rooms with their pets for another 3-4 months as SoCalGas struggles to stop their massive leak,” said R. Rex Parris. “Taking appropriate care of these families is clearly not a top priority for SoCalGas. During the holiday season, placing Porter Ranch residents and their pets in local hotel rooms for months on end and offering meager per diem food allowances, but only if their rooms do not contain cooking facilities, is totally unfair, unreasonable and inadequate,” added Parris.
“Imagine having to celebrate the holidays in a hotel room with your kids and your pets because the gas company has made your home uninhabitable. That is the plight right now facing thousands of Porter Ranch residents. Even more will be in that situation as their relocation applications are approved. Their mortgages and property taxes must still be paid. They must still go to work and keep their children in school, but they have no place to call home except a hotel or motel room. SoCalGas has a moral and financial obligation to the victims of the company’s gas storage field mismanagement,” added Panish.
The massive breach at the SoCalGas facility at Aliso Canyon was first discovered on October 23, 2015. The California Air Resource Board estimates that 50,00 kilograms of gas are leaking into the air every hour from the breach, potentially accounting for one-quarter of California’s total methane emissions every day the leak continues. Since the leak was first discovered, many residents have reported nausea, dizziness, vomiting, nosebleeds, and headaches caused by the escaping gas. On December 8, 2015, only after harsh criticism from residents, SoCalGas issued an update on its progress to plug the leak. The newest estimates from the company indicate that they issue may not be resolved for at least three to four months.
Environmental lawyer and activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr along with Attorneys Brian Panish and R. Rex. Parris filed an 85 page class action lawsuit on behalf of dozens of plaintiffs and Save Porter Ranch, who have been deeply impacted by the illegal gas storage well leaking in Aliso Canyon. The unprecedented leak has unleashed a continuous flow of gases including methane, mercaptans, and aromatic hydrocarbons.
"The massive uncontrolled gas leak is expected to cost Sempra Energy (SRE) shareholders over $1 billion dollars," added Parris.
About Kennedy & Madonna
Kennedy & Madonna, LLP is an environmental law firm that specializes in representing communities that have been impacted by pollution. The firm uses a variety of legal tools including federal citizen suits, administrative challenges and tort law to hold polluters accountable for their actions. The firm was formed in 2000 by founding partners Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Kevin J. Madonna. For more information, visit www.kennedymadonna.com
About Panish Shea & Boyle LLP
Panish Shea & Boyle LLP is a plaintiff's personal injury law firm that takes on large corporations and government entities whose negligence causes our clients' injuries, and holds them accountable. In June 2014, Panish Shea & Boyle obtained at $19.8 million jury verdict for a man who suffered severe burn and traumatic brain injuries when his rental home exploded as a result of Southern California Gas Company's negligence. In 2008, the firm obtained a $15 million jury verdict against SoCalGas for a 14-year-old boy who was hit by a company truck. Panish Shea & Boyle LLP also represented numerous plaintiffs in the San Bruno PG&E gas explosion cases. Our attorneys are and have always been champions of consumer rights. The size, clout or financial strength of wrongdoers is never a deterrent to our pursuit for justice. For more information, visit www.psblaw.com
About The R. Rex Parris Law Firm
For over 30 years, R. Rex Parris has devoted his practice to protecting the rights of injured people and aggrieved workers. Rex and his dedicated team provide thorough, high-quality representation with integrity and compassion. These lawyers fight aggressively against corporate defense attorneys and insurance companies to ensure their clients get the compensation they deserve. For more information, visit rrexparris.com.
About the Law Firm of Morgan & Morgan
Morgan & Morgan is one of the largest exclusively plaintiffs' law firms in the US, with 25 offices throughout Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and New York. The firm handles cases nationally and has been a leader in cases such as the BP Oil spill and Chinese Drywall litigation. We have over 300 lawyers with years of experience involving personal injury, medical malpractice, consumer class action, and securities fraud--as well as complex litigation against drug and medical device manufacturers. For more information, visit www.forthepeople.com