Kansas City Power Plant Explosion

A massive explosion destroyed a significant portion of an electrical power plant in Kansas City in February 1999. Knott Laboratory’s forensic engineering team provided electrical, structural and mechanical expertise, as well as graphics and animations.

The explosion occurred after a wastewater system blockage spilled raw sewage on the Fuel Safety System (FSS) computers.

Knott Laboratory’s engineering analysis demonstrated the explosion was the result of an extraordinary sequence of errors by power plant personnel.

Shortly before trial, after reviewing Knott Laboratory’s graphics, animations and expert witness depositions, the plaintiffs settled with our client for less than one percent of the $600 million in claimed damages. This settlement was millions less than our client’s offer from a few months earlier.

ServicesForensic EngineeringYear1999