A wrongful death lawsuit filed in response to a fatal explosion at Hornady Manufacturing near Grand Island has been officially transferred to U.S. District Court in Lincoln.
The case stems from the death of 32-year-old Adriana Alvarez, who was killed on October 13, 2023, while manually mixing explosive primer compounds at the Hornady facility. Her spouse, Michaela Alvarez, filed the lawsuit in Hall County District Court in November 2023, seeking accountability from multiple parties connected to the incident.
Named in the lawsuit are Hornady Manufacturing, Platte Valley Energetics LLC—both based at the Grand Island-area plant—along with Training & Consulting LLC of Texas and New Lachaussee, a Belgian company that provided machinery, training, and consulting services for the operation.
According to the complaint filed by attorney Richard Gilloon, the defendants’ combined negligence led to Adriana’s death. The lawsuit claims the mixing process she was instructed to follow was inherently flawed and ultimately fatal.
“What happened to Adriana Alvarez was entirely preventable and should not happen to anyone,” Gilloon stated in the court filing.
New Lachaussee requested that the case be moved to federal court, a motion that was approved last week.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated the explosion and issued a $23,000 fine to Hornady as part of an informal settlement. The incident also left two other employees injured.
Hornady Manufacturing, founded in 1949, is a well-known producer of bullets, ammunition, and reloading tools. The company has marketed itself as a global leader in the ammunition industry.
Adriana Alvarez leaves behind a spouse and a young daughter. The case now moves forward in federal court as the family continues to seek justice and accountability.
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