Residents of McIntosh, a small town just 40 miles north of Mobile, will have a day in Washington County Circuit court this week with four lawsuits seeking damages against chlorine manufacturer Olin Corporation over chlorine gas leaks.

Olin, the lawsuits claim, has leaked chlorine gas into the atmosphere and failed to warn residents of the leaks. On Wednesday, all four lawsuits are set for a “docket call jury” in Chatom, the county seat of Washington County, court records show.

“The numerous leaks at the Olin Plant show an indifference to the health and safety of the community surrounding the Olin Plant and the community in general,” one of the complaints states. “Defendants have caused irreparable harm to the environment and an ongoing threat to the health and safety of the public, including the Plaintiffs.”

The first lawsuit was filed in 2018, and the other three were filed in the fall of 2022. The 2018 suit lists 141 plaintiffs – the first two being McIntosh police officers called to the scene of a leak. The first of the 2022 cases (based on case number) lists 98 plaintiffs, with Beverly Abrams being the first on the list; the second lists 94 plaintiffs with Paula Koen as the first listed complainant; and the third 2022 case lists four plaintiffs including McIntosh Mayor Wilbert Dixon.

Dixon, who previously told the Lede he worked for Olin in the past, was unavailable for comment on the suit before press time.