Attorneys for power plant victims to tour site

Attorneys for the victims of the Middletown power plant explosion plan to tour the site Friday morning with a panel of experts including the famed forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee.

Six people were killed in the Feb. 7 explosion at the nearly-completed Kleen Energy power plant, including Raymond Dobratz Jr. of Old Saybrook and Ronald Crabb of Colchester. About 20 others were injured in the blast, which occurred as the workers were conducting a "gas blow" of natural gas lines, or cleaning them of debris.

New London attorney Robert I. Reardon Jr. is representing Joseph Scovish and Kenneth Meloney, both pipefitters from Oakdale, and Dennis Riley, an electrician from Manchester, all of whom Reardon said suffered head, neck and back injuries. Attorney M. Hatcher "Reese" Norris of West Hartford is representing the estate of Peter Chepulis of Thomaston.

The lawyers filed a bill of discovery in Middletown Superior Court seeking access to the plant, which has been turned over to the general contractor, O&G Industries. As a result, they anticipate being allowed to walk the site with their experts. The experts include: Lee, a former director of the state’s forensic laboratory and founder of the forensic science program at the University of New Haven; Dehong Kong, principal consulting engineer of Princeton Safety Solutions and Thomas J. Klem, a fire investigator.