[1/9/03]A lawsuit filed on behalf of another of the five men who died after the May 16 explosion at Rouse Polymerics International’s Vicksburg rubber-recycling plant has been found in Jefferson County.

The suit, alleging negligence among other claims, was filed on behalf of Tywayne Croskey, who died May 21 in The Burn Center at Delta Regional Medical Center in Greenville.

Croskey was a 24-year-old machine operator from Port Gibson. In addition to the five who died in the days and weeks after Vicksburg’s worst-ever industrial accident, seven others received medical treatment after the explosions at the plant off U.S. 61 South.

The complaint on Croskey’s behalf was filed Dec. 9 in Jefferson County Circuit Court, in the name of Croskey’s daughter, Tyeshia Croskey, and her mother, Linda Miller, both of Fayette.

Filed by attorney Dennis Sweet of Jackson, it claims damages including punitive damages but does not specify amounts.

The complaint names four defendants, saying each was negligent in manufacturing, installing or maintaining equipment used at Rouse. Some of the defendants it names have also been named in complaints filed on behalf of others who were killed or injured in the accident.

At least six complaints, on behalf of five employees or their families, have been filed in various courts

What triggered the explosion and fire has not been specified.

Federal safety officials cited 22 safety violations and negotiated a penalty with the company of $187,680.

Rebuilding of a state-of-the-art facility and removal of the burned building were to be completed this month.