Berger Montague and Locks Law Firm File Class Action for Residents Affected by Massive Gasoline Leak at Aston, Pa. Chelsea Tank Farm

The Complaint alleges that Monroe Energy, LLC and MIPC, LLC concealed a months-long leak that released approximately 378,000 gallons of gasoline into a Delaware County neighborhood, contaminating soil, groundwater, drinking water, and indoor air.

PHILADELPHIA, July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Berger Montague and Locks Law Firm have filed a class action on behalf of residents affected by a large, months-long gasoline leak at the Chelsea Tank Farm in Aston, Pennsylvania. The lawsuit is brought by plaintiffs Brian and Michelle Mielnik, individually and on behalf of a proposed class of Pennsylvania residents who owned, rented, or resided in property within one mile of the Chelsea Tank Farm, against Defendants Monroe Energy, LLC and its subsidiary MIPC, LLC. The lawsuit is filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

The Chelsea Tank Farm, a hazardous-liquid storage facility located in the middle of a residential community in the Garnet Valley School District, holds twelve large storage tanks with a combined capacity of roughly 1.7 million barrels of gasoline. According to the Class Action Complaint, one of those tanks, called Tank 708 that was originally installed in 1951, developed a roughly one-quarter-inch, manmade hole in its floor and quietly leaked gasoline from at least March 3, 2025 through early December 2025, discharging an estimated 9,000 barrels of gasoline – approximately 378,000 gallons – into the surrounding soil, bedrock, and groundwater.

The Complaint alleges that Monroe and MIPC first observed gasoline on the facility grounds in August 2025 but did not disclose the leak to federal regulators, residents, or the public until December 2025. During that period, the Complaint alleges, the companies attributed heightened activity at the site to routine "maintenance" and later described the incident to residents as an undefined "issue" at the Tank Farm.

Environmental testing has confirmed gasoline-related toxic contaminants including benzene, a known human carcinogen, as well as ethylbenzene, naphthalene, cyclohexane, and n-hexane, in the soil, groundwater, wells, and indoor air of nearby homes, according to the Complaint. More than 100 groundwater monitoring wells have been installed across the Tank Farm and adjacent properties, dozens of which have been found to contain measurable free-floating gasoline, including wells on residential properties. Only a fraction of the released gasoline has been recovered, and the Complaint alleges that the contamination has not been fully delineated.

Federal and state regulators are also now involved. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a Corrective Action Order in December 2025 requiring that Tank 708 be taken out of service and independently tested, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) separately issued an order finding that the operator unlawfully discharged petroleum into the waters of the Commonwealth, failed to timely notify the agency, and handled gasoline contrary to its air-quality permit.

The lawsuit asserts claims for negligence, gross negligence, strict liability for an abnormally dangerous activity, public and private nuisance, trespass, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and medical monitoring. It seeks compensation for residents' property damage and diminished property value, the cost of environmental remediation, medical monitoring for exposed residents, and other relief.

"Our clients have brought this lawsuit on behalf of the families living closest to the Chelsea Tank Farm, whose properties have been damaged by gasoline spreading beneath their homes," said Shanon J. Carson, an Executive Shareholder of Berger Montague. "This lawsuit seeks to hold Monroe Energy and MIPC accountable and to secure the property recovery, environmental cleanup, and long-term medical monitoring that these residents deserve."

"Benzene is a known human carcinogen, and no family should have it in the air they breathe or the water they drink," said Andrew J. DuPont, a partner at the Locks Law Firm and chair of the Benzene Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice. "Together with Berger Montague, our law firms are committed to making sure that these residents get the answers and the medical monitoring they need."

Residents who owned, rented, or lived within one mile of the Chelsea Tank Farm on or after March 1, 2025 and who would like to learn more about their rights may visit www.bergermontague.com/chelsea-tank-farm-litigation for more information, and may also contact Berger Montague at 1-800-424-6690 or by email at [email protected], for a free, confidential consultation.

About Berger Montague PC

Berger Montague PC is a national leader in complex civil litigation and has been at the forefront of important complex, class action, and environmental litigation for over 50 years. The firm's attorneys have served as principal, lead, or liaison counsel in landmark environmental cases, including the Exxon Valdez oil spill litigation, the School Asbestos Litigation, and the Three Mile Island litigation. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the firm represents individuals, businesses, and public entities harmed by environmental contamination, and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Learn more at www.bergermontague.com.

About the Locks Law Firm

The Locks Law Firm represents individuals in catastrophic injury, toxic tort, and environmental matters and has recovered more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements for its clients. With offices in Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and New York, the firm is known for its benzene and toxic-tort practice. Learn more at www.lockslaw.com.

Media Contact:

Amy Wall-Monte

Marketing Director

Berger Montague PC

(215) 875-3021

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Berger Montague