MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - A Pennsylvania man injured when a portable toilet exploded is suing a general contractor and a coal company for negligence.

John Jenkins, 53, and his wife Ramona Jenkins, 35, of Brave, Pa., filed the lawsuit in Monongalia County Circuit Court on Tuesday. They are suing Chisler Inc., a general contractor from Fairview, and Eastern Associated Coal Corp. for $10 million in damages.

The explosion occurred July 13, 2004, at Parrish Shaft in Blacksville. Jenkins, a North West Fuels Development Inc. methane power plant operator, entered a portable toilet, sat down and tried to light a cigarette.

"When I struck the lighter, the whole thing just detonated — the whole top blew off," John Jenkins said. "I can't tell you if it blew me out the door or if I jumped out."

The lawsuit says the cigarette ignited methane gas leaking from a pipe underneath the unit.

Eastern Associated Coal Corp. owns the property where the explosion occurred. Chisler Inc. ran over the pipelines with heavy equipment before the incident, causing the methane gas leak, Jenkins alleges.

The lawsuit also says there was no sign on the portable toilet warning that smoking, matches and open flames were forbidden.

Jenkins had severe burns on his face, neck, arms, torso and legs. He is permanently disfigured, the lawsuit says.

Eastern Associated Coal is a subsidiary of Peabody Energy. A call to that company's Charleston office was not immediately returned Thursday. A man who answered the phone at Chisler's office in Fairview said he was familiar with the lawsuit and the company would have no comment. He would not give his name.
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Wow... that would be one heck of a surprise. Getting ready to relax, pull out a cig, flip open the lighter and BAM! The toilet blows up!

Man that is funny wish there was a video of this. Does he have to sue he got a cool story to tell his friends, and family.

Bloody hell, that is indeed quite shocking. You would think that toilets would be one of the safer places around.

not quite what i was expecting from the title.

lol what a neanderthal.. even i know not to be smoking around any portable loo due to the chemicals and gases that are used in them..
this is another way to teach ppl not to smoke

He is ment to be disfigured for the rest of his life,in America that means he will have a few tiny red wee burn marks on parts of his body

Make it sound worse than it is to screw as much money out of the company as possible

LMAO ide love to see a video of the toilet blowing up

Your not the only one!

I wonder what everyone around him said?... "HEY! WHO FLUNG S***!"