Chicago families sue over soot from petcoke piles

In an Oct. 31 story about a lawsuit demanding that six companies contain dust from piles of a black oil byproduct, The Associated Press erroneously reported which company contracted with oil giant BP. BP contracts with KCBX Terminals Co., not George J. Beemsterboer Inc.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Four southeast Chicago families have filed a lawsuit against several companies, contending black dust from piles of “petcoke” — a byproduct of the oil refinery process — is consistently blowing into their homes.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court by attorney Tom Zimmerman. He said the homeowners are seeking monetary damages and want the companies to cover the piles.

BP spokesman Scott Dean said the oil company contracts with KCBX Terminals Co. to transport petcoke from the oil company's refinery in Whiting to Chicago for storage. Petcoke is stored at terminals along the Calumet River.

BP isn't named in the lawsuit, but KCBX Terminals and six other companies are. Dean said BP expects third party contractors to obey all local regulations.