A San Antonio jury determined CPS Energy will have to pay millions of dollars in damages related to a natural gas explosion caused by decades of neglect of a Southeast Side home’s natural gas system.
The May 1, 2021 blast killed two family dogs and left two residents with permanent, life-altering injuries, according to court documents.
CPS Energy spokesperson Dana Sotoodeh confirmed the publicly-owned utility entered into a high-low agreement with the plaintiffs; CPS would need to pay only $60 million if the jury did find them responsible. If the verdict went the other way, CPS Energy would have still been on the hook for $8 million.
Robert Rymers is permanently disabled as a result of the blast and his mother Virginia Rymers, who was also living in the rental property in the Colosseum Heights neighborhood, sustained burns and an air embolism and still has physical and mental injuries.
According to Michael Lyons, the attorney representing the Rymers in the civil case, the jury delivered a $109 million verdict against CPS Energy. Earlier this month, the jury ruled that two other companies contracted to conduct energy efficiency work, Right Choice Heating and Air Company and Franklin Energy Services, were not liable for the gas leak that led to the explosion.
Lyons said the home’s gas system was originally installed in 1960 and had a history of failures leading to a meter replacement in 2008. The meter was replaced again in 2015 after residents reported smelling a strong odor of natural gas and hearing a hissing sound coming from the meter.
Attorneys accused CPS Energy of failing to test the gas system around the perimeter of the house when it had conducted electric testing in the neighborhood before the explosion.
“People knew that this was natural gas. The signs were there,” said attorney Chris Simmons, of Lyons & Simmons. “The jury spoke. They spoke loudly and they said, ‘We know what this was’ and held the right company accountable.”
Attorneys accused CPS Energy of failing to take responsibility for the blast and alleged that the company arrived at the scene and disposed of evidence they should have known to preserve.
San Antonio Police Department’s arson team and the San Antonio Fire Department determined the explosion was a result of natural gas. An investigation into the gas system at the property later confirmed the blast’s origin was a gas leak.
CPS Energy is disappointed in the outcome, Sotoodeh said.
“We respect our legal system and the jury’s decision but genuinely do not believe our gas was the cause of this accident. We remain dedicated to safety and excellence in the operation of our community’s gas system,” read a statement from CPS Energy.
The jury agreed Robert Rymers should receive a total of $103.5 million for physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement and physical impairment sustained in the past and the future.
The jury said Virgina Rymers should receive a total of $6 million for physical pain and suffering and mental anguish sustained in the past and future.
Lyons says this case sends a message across Texas metropolitan cities that have aging, leaking gas systems.
“What the jury’s verdict encapsulates is that they need to have closer attention to servicing and maintaining on a preventative basis, as opposed to waiting for something bad to happen to do something about it,” he said.
Natural gas is delivered to more than 389,000 CPS Energy customers by over 6,000 miles of underground pipelines throughout Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe and Medina counties, according to CPS Energy.
Even if a home does not use natural gas, pipelines may be located nearby.
