A 28-year-old father of two has died in a devastating workplace accident at a chemical plant in Texas, prompting a lawsuit from his family who claim the tragedy could have been prevented.
Garrick Newell was working as a contractor at a TPC Group facility in Houston when the fatal incident occurred on February 7. According to attorneys representing his family, a piece of machinery weighing more than 1,000 pounds was dislodged during work operations and struck him after traveling approximately 15 feet.
Family Alleges Unsafe Working Conditions
The lawsuit, filed later that month, alleges that Newell had been assigned to assist in removing a bell head from a boilermaker when the accident happened. His legal team argues that the task itself was unsafe and carried out under the direction and control of the company.
Attorney Mo Aziz told ABC affiliate KTRK that the force and distance of the equipment’s movement led to the fatal impact. Another attorney, Scott Armstrong, stated that such operations require oversight and authorization from plant operators, emphasizing that “nothing happens at these plants without the authority and permission of the owner.”
In court filings, Newell’s widow, Candice, alleged that the work was conducted under unsafe conditions and claimed the company failed to properly maintain its equipment prior to the incident. The family’s legal team maintains that the accident was avoidable.
Newell is remembered by loved ones as a dedicated husband and father. He leaves behind his wife, Candice, their daughter, and a stepdaughter. In a tribute shared one month after his death, Candice expressed the family’s grief, writing about the loss felt by their children and herself.
According to his obituary, Newell worked as a general foreman supervisor specializing in refinery shutdowns and was deeply devoted to his family.
TPC Group, which operates multiple facilities across North America, has not commented on the case, stating it does not address pending litigation.
