The mechanical contractor J.M. Brennan Inc., which was sued for negligence nearly six weeks ago, responded last week to the suit against the company. In the response, J.M. Brennan turned the tables and blamed Falk for not maintaining the propane pipes whose corrosion contributed to the Dec. 6 explosion.,”

The lawsuit stemming from the December Falk Corp. explosion rolled forward last week with another legal filing.

The mechanical contractor J.M. Brennan Inc., which was sued for negligence nearly six weeks ago, responded last week to the suit against the company. In the response, J.M. Brennan turned the tables and blamed Falk for not maintaining the propane pipes whose corrosion contributed to the Dec. 6 explosion.

Had Falk maintained the pipes' protective coating, the explosion never would have occurred, the statement said.

The families of the blast's three victims filed a lawsuit in February that accused J.M. Brennan of improperly installing and maintaining the pipes. The suit also said J.M. Brennan employees testing the pipes at the Falk plant that morning found a liquid propane leak but didn't evacuate the area.

J.M. Brennan's response stated that it is Falk's responsibility to run evacuations in such instances.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney's office completed its investigation into the explosion March 15 and determined that no criminal activity was involved in the blast. The district attorney's investigation is unrelated to the lawsuit and the federal investigation, which is still ongoing.

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