Five New Lawsuits Filed in Fatal School Explosion

MINNEAPOLIS -- Five new lawsuits have been filed more than two years after a natural gas explosion caused part of a Minneapolis school to collapse, killing two people and injuring nine others.

The lawsuits say CenterPoint Energy and Master Mechanical knew their work at Minnehaha Academy was ``hazardous and abnormally dangerous'' but ``failed to inspect and close shut-off valves'' upstream from a gas meter.

The plaintiffs include the school's president, who says she suffered a traumatic brain injury; the soccer coach, who lost a leg; and three other employees, who say they suffered concussions and post-traumatic stress disorder in the April 2017 explosion.

Master Mechanical says it respects the legal process and the ongoing National Transportation Safety Board investigation. CenterPoint says it's aware of the lawsuits and is working toward a resolution.