Harris County Jury Awards $61.5 Million in Watson Grinding Explosion Trial; Finds 3M 30% Responsible

West Houston Neighborhood Destroyed in Explosion

3M Violated Their Own Code of Conduct

Last service record - No Follow Up Action Required

Another Win against 3M for Community Members in the West Houston Residential Explosion

HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, August 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- HOUSTON, TEXAS — A Harris County jury today returned a $61,578,273.19 verdict for a randomly assigned group of residents affected by the January 24, 2020 Watson Grinding explosion in West Houston. The jury found 3M Company 30% responsible for causing the explosion.

The verdict marks the third jury verdict in favor of community members in four trials involving 3M.

“For more than six years, these families have asked for one thing — accountability for every company whose conduct contributed to this disaster,” said Rob Kwok, lead trial counsel with Kwok Daniel. “Today, another Harris County jury carefully considered the evidence and held 3M responsible for its share.”
The Kwok Daniel trial team of Rob Kwok, Ryan Loya, Ranny Sawaf, Marcos Cardenas and Trey Termini tried the case over the past 5 weeks in collaboration with Will Moye of Moye Law Firm and Adam Lewis of Arnold & Itkin.

A central issue at trial was 3M’s knowledge concerning the condition of the gas-detection system at Watson Grinding. During the trial, testimony was presented concerning 3M’s knowledge of problems with the system in the years preceding the explosion. “That evidence was significant because the gas-detection system was intended to provide a critical warning before a catastrophic release could endanger employees and the surrounding community,” Kwok said.

Nearly 2,000 additional residents remain awaiting trial, with another randomly assigned group scheduled for trial in October 2026.
“Our objective has always been to make our clients whole to the fullest extent the law allows,” Kwok said. “This verdict is another important step toward that goal, and our entire team is grateful to the jurors for the time and attention they devoted to this case.”

The January 24, 2020 explosion killed three people, injured residents, and damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes in surrounding neighborhoods. Many residents were displaced from their homes, some during the COVID-19 pandemic, while others faced insurance shortfalls, rising construction costs, and supply shortages as they attempted to rebuild. More than 1,000 residents ultimately retained Kwok Daniel in connection with the disaster.
Kwok Daniel filed the first lawsuit arising from the explosion and obtained early court relief to preserve evidence and secure access to the Watson Grinding site.

Over the ensuing six years, the litigation involved more than 2,000 claimants, bankruptcy proceedings, multidistrict litigation, more than 150 depositions, settlements with other defendants, and multiple jury trials. A Plaintiffs Steering Committee was formed to coordinate the litigation, and a settlement process was ultimately developed for claims involving settling defendants.

During that same period, Kwok Daniel also assisted displaced clients with housing and pursued first-party insurance claims without charging attorney fees so that clients could use the full amount of their insurance proceeds toward rebuilding their homes.

“These families have shown extraordinary patience and courage,” Kwok said. “They sat for depositions, testified in court, rebuilt homes, cared for injured family members, and continued rebuilding their lives while this litigation moved forward. Today’s verdict belongs to them.”

The January 24, 2020 Explosion multi-district litigation (Cause No. 2020-05505-A) remains ongoing with the next trial date set for October 2026 with 50 community member Plaintiffs.

Rob Kwok
Lead Trial Counsel for 1,000+ Kwok Daniel Plaintiffs
Kwok Daniel LLP
Cell: 281.932.6288
www.kwoklaw.com
www.watsongrindingexplosion.com
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Robert Kwok
Kwok Daniel Ltd LLP
rkwok@kwoklaw.com