Trial began Sep. 5th, 2007...DETAILS-The plaintiffs in the five lawsuits are:

-- The 6- and 11-year-old sons of Rene Cardona Sr., 26, from Baytown, a contract worker for engineering and construction company Contech Control Services who committed suicide six weeks after the blast. One lawsuit was filed on behalf of the sons.

-- Nara and David Wilson, both 44, from Santa Fe, Texas. The couple, who filed separate suits, worked for mechanical contracting company Altair Strickland.

-- Scott Kilbert, 48, from Bellville, an instrumentation supervisor for construction company JE Merit.

-- Rolando Bocardo, 41, from Baytown, an instrument fitter for JE Merit.

Attorneys for the Wilsons, Kilbert and Bocardo said their clients have suffered a variety of injuries, including back problems, hearing loss and post traumatic stress disorder.

The blast has cost the company at least $2 billion in compensation payouts, repairs and lost profit.

The Texas City explosion occurred when part of the plant's isomerization unit, which boosts the level of octane in gasoline, overfilled with highly flammable liquid hydrocarbons. A geyser-like release of flammable liquid and vapor ignited as the unit started up.

Alarms and gauges that should have warned of the overfilling equipment failed to work at the plant about 40 miles southeast of Houston.

Kaplowy.