HOUSTON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - A Texas jury on Thursday ruledin favour of British energy giant BP Plc. and did notaward damages to plaintiffs in three lawsuits who claimed theywere harmed by pollution from a BP-owned refinery in Texas City,Texas in 2010.
The lawsuits were the first of 48,000 cases filed against BPover the released of vapors into the atmosphere from ahydrocracking unit during a 40-day period in 2010.
BP has denied the claims that people were harmed by theemissions, which included 17,000 pounds of benzene.
"Today's verdict affirms BP's view that no one suffered anyinjury as a result of the flaring of the BP Ultracracker flareduring April and May 2010," said BP spokesman Scott Dean in astatement.
The plaintiffs were seeking compensation of $200,000 each.
In 2011, BP paid $50 million to settle a lawsuit by TexasAttorney General Greg Abbott over pollution from the refinerybetween 2005 and 2011.
The plaintiffs' attorney said remaining lawsuits would goforward to trial in a state district court in Galveston, Texas.
"I'm surprised," Houston attorney Tony Buzbee told theGalveston County Daily News. "But I respect the juries. This wasonly the first one. We learned some things. "We will gear up andtry another in a couple of months."
The Texas City refinery cases are being tried in Galvestonby the Texas state court of the 56th Judicial District. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Michael Perry)