Because of the diverse contents that are transported on ships and the difficult conditions that can arise during the job, accidents in ports and harbors can result in severe catastrophes. For example, one case from the docks in Texas City can best illustrate the potential danger of working in a port. As dock workers unloaded cargo from a ship on an early Wednesday morning, they noticed that a small fire had ignited onboard the ship. The problem quickly escalated when the dock workers were instructed to not use water to extinguish the fire, since that could potentially harm the cargo. While workers tried less efficient ways to end the fire, the flames expanded and eventually caused the explosion of the cargo. Unknown to the dock workers, the ship’s cargo included containers carrying a flammable chemical called ammonium nitrate. The explosion of the aluminum nitrate led to the deaths of 576 dock workers and over 1,000 destroyed buildings in Texas City. This tragic dock accident came to be widely known as “the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the nation.”

While not all accidents are as catastrophic as the explosion in Texas City, every accident is severe and requires immediate attention. Whether you were injured in the Port of Texas City, Houston, Galveston, or any other port or harbor in the country, you are protected by the law and may be entitled to compensation.