1st Class Action Lawsuit Filed In Abington Twp. Fire

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA —The first class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a Wyncote resident over the SPS Technologies fire last week.

Lawyers of the firm Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky and Stranch, Jennings & Garvey filed the first lawsuit against the building's owner-operator SPS Technologies citing hazardous materials mismanagement at its Jenkintown aerospace parts manufacturing plant.

The joint lawsuit was filed on behalf of Marlo Jones of Wyncote, a school bus driver whose district closed for several days due to the fire that destroyed most of the 600,000-square-foot building on Highland Avenue last Monday night.

“The fire and explosion was caused by the defendant’s failures to inspect, properly maintain, and/or operate its facility, including the location of the origin of the fire,” according to the filing. It also states that SPS “failed to uphold industry standards” in facility operations and as a result “hundreds if not thousands of persons have been damaged.”

The fire at SPS Technologies warehouse on 301 Highland Avenue began on Monday, Feb. 17, at 9:43 p.m. after an explosion was heard at the site.

Officials said at least 60 employees were inside the building at the time. They were all evacuated and accounted for. No injuries were reported.

Authorities said that there were no dangerous chemicals in the building at the time of the fire, otherwise, there could have been "mass casualties."

Due to the incident, the law firm is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for the plaintiffs, whose injuries are economic and non-economic, including but not limited to emotional distress.

“We will be conducting, in concert with governmental entities, a comprehensive inquiry under the rules of legal discovery and fully expect all relevant SPS records, including hazardous materials maintenance and management files, fire suppression system operating logs, along with other related system safety documentation - including personnel training and supervision reports - to be preserved and produced without alteration or delay,” the law firm stated.

“We join all those who have commended the work of the army of first responders, from near and far, who battled, and continue to fight, the chemical blaze over days, and whose health and welfare is of paramount concern. And we are thankful there was no loss of life. While it is too soon to fully ascertain the root cause of this disaster, or on present or future environmental and health impacts, it is not too soon to assert, as outlined in the Complaint, there were numerous operational failures and that a well-managed and maintained manufacturing facility doesn’t just catch fire, explode, then burn uncontrollably,” the law firm said.

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