The owners of a Lexington ethanol plant and their insurer are suing a subsidiary of a Houston-based natural gas provider they say is responsible for an explosion and fire that shut down the plant for weeks.

Cornhusker Energy Lexington and its insurer say the plant lost more than $1.8 million after a pipeline carrying natural gas outside the plant ruptured last December.

On Thursday, an attorney for Cornhusker Energy filed a federal lawsuit against Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission, which operates that pipeline.

The lawsuit alleges the explosion was caused by a buildup of excess moisture in the gas provided by Kinder Morgan.

A Kinder Morgan spokesman declined to comment on the case Friday.