LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two Louisville residents have sued Givaudan for the deadly explosion at the company’s factory in Louisville.

Edward Roberts and Ana Carolina Gomez Bridge accuse the company of negligence in the lawsuit, which was filed in Jefferson Circuit Court.

On Nov. 12, 2024, an explosion at the Givaudan Sense Colour plant in Louisville’s Clifton neighborhood killed two, injured several others and damaged many nearby homes and businesses. 

A view of the damage in the aftermath of an explosion at the Givaudan Colour Sense plant in Louisville's Clifton neighborhood. (Spectrum News 1/Mason Brighton)

An investigation from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) found the explosion to be an accident likely caused by poor ventilation and maintenance failures.

According to a news release, Roberts was in his basement at the time of the explosion, which shattered windows, damaged doors and shook the home’s foundation, causing structural damage. The release said Gomez Bridge was also at home and suffered severe emotional trauma.

“Buildings don’t simply explode without warning—this kind of negligence was preventable,” said Tad Thomas of Thomas Law Offices, representing Roberts and Gomez Bridge. “Givaudan failed miserably to operate their business responsibly, and the consequences were catastrophic.”

Debris scattered across the neighborhood after an explosion at the Givaudan Sense Color Plant in Louisville, Kentucky on Nov. 12, 2024. (Michael O'Leary)

The suit also alleges employees had warned Givaudan about the vessel overheating in the days leading up to the explosion. It says that the company failed to take corrective action despite these warnings, and continued its operations.

The lawsuit seeks damages to address the property damage, emotional distress related to the explosion. It also demands changes at Givaudan’s Louisville facility to ensure the company complies with safety standards and prevents similar incidents in the future.

“They were home at the time of the explosion," Thomas said. "They were actually sitting in their basement. And when the explosion occurred, they actually sent all the foundation walls, in their basement expand. They got a bunch of property damage, broken windows; the pressure in the explosion was so significant that the door going into their attic actually was sucked up into the attic." 

This November's explosion was the second in plant history. An explosion in 2003 killed one person. The plant was not owned by Givaudan at the time.

“The fact that this has happened before and you have this explosion, the homes around that area are worthless," Thomas said. "People are not going to want to move into a neighborhood where you have a plant that is exploding."

More neighbors could be added to the lawsuit in the coming months.

One week after the explosion, Givaudan representatives spoke at a community meeting, where neighborhood residents expressed their frustrations.

“We are profoundly sorry and we are very heartbroken over the loss of two beloved team members,” Ann Leonard, president of Givaudan’s business unit, told the room. “And while we don’t know exactly what the future holds for our current site, please know that we are looking at and prioritizing other locations to continue our operations going forward.”

Leonard also said she didn’t know the exact date the facility was last inspected, but said there were “regular inspections that happen on a routine basis.”

Spectrum News 1 has reached out to Givaudan for comment on the lawsuit and will update with their response.