Pattison Sand sued by grain company
Contamination from a fire last year inside the Pattison Sand Company mine in Clayton, Iowa cost a neighboring company more than $500,000, according to a federal lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court for Northern Iowa.
The lawsuit was brought by Consolidated Grain and Barge Company and claims that smoke and soot from the July 10, 2014 fire spread from the mine onto its property and tainted grain, salt, fertilizer and other products.
Following the fire, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration ordered the mine and Consolidated Grain’s property to be evacuated due to concerns about air quality, the lawsuit said.
The Louisiana-based shipping company also hired experts to assess damage and make sure the company’s facilities were safe for employees and the storing of products. The company also paid extra charges due to disrupted shipments, the lawsuit claims.
Consolidated Grain and Barge also claims in the lawsuit that Pattison has not reimbursed it for itemized damages that it submitted to the mining company.