FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2025
Jury awards $118 million to victims of Watson Grinding explosion, 3M held partially liable
Houston verdict marks one of Texas’s largest industrial accident awards
HOUSTON, TEXAS — A Harris County jury has awarded more than $118 million to seven victims of the 2020 Watson Grinding and Manufacturing explosion, finding 3M Company liable for its role in the catastrophic blast that killed three people and destroyed hundreds of homes in West Houston.
The verdict follows a two-week trial and three days of deliberation in a Harris County District Court.
Evidence at trial showed that 3M was paid to service and maintain gas detection equipment over a two-year period at the Watson Grinding facility but did not perform the work consistent with the standard of care. Multiple 3M representatives admitted on the stand that they failed to do what they promised, thereby breaking a promise not only to Watson Grinding, but to the surrounding community that relied on those safety systems.
“The lead service technician admitted on the stand that 3M broke its promise to the community. This verdict is a public indictment of corporate indifference. 3M built its reputation on safety, yet its own conduct contributed to one of Houston’s deadliest explosions. This jury made clear that even the most powerful corporations will be held accountable,” Will Moye of Moye Law Firm said, who represented the plaintiffs alongside Rob Kwok, founding partner of Kwok Daniel LLP, and Ryan Loya of Kwok Daniel LLP.
Jurors assigned 3M the same share of fault (49%) as Watson Grinding itself, which had invoked the Fifth Amendment during the trial.
Earlier this year, Moye, Kwok and Loya also secured a $37.9 million verdict against 3M and Teledyne-Detcon on behalf of five other residents affected by the same explosion. More than 900 additional claims remain pending.
The explosion occurred on January 24, 2020, when a propylene gas leak ignited at the Watson Grinding facility near Gessner and Clay Roads, leveling homes across northwest Houston. In 2023, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Marvin Isgur approved a $52 million insurance settlement for some victims.
3M Company has not yet publicly commented on the verdict.
Background on the Watson Grinding explosion
The Watson Grinding and Manufacturing explosion occurred when a propylene gas leak ignited at the facility in northwest Houston, sending a massive fireball through the neighborhood. The blast killed three employees, injured many others, and caused an estimated $200 million in property damage.
