Judge Jim Meyer of Waco’s 170th State District Court has divided the plaintiffs into three trial groups and previously had set the first trial to begin Jan. 26, 2015. He since has moved the first trial to July 2015, which was the original date for the third trial to begin.

The owners of West Fertilizer Co., Adair Grain, have filed a counterclaim against the four fertilizer producers and sellers, adopting many of the same claims that the plaintiffs have made against the companies.

The counterclaim makes Adair Grain both a plaintiff and a defendant in the lawsuits.

The fourth industrial defendant, International Chemical Co., also filed a motion seeking to have the possible unknown criminal who may have started the fire named as a responsible third party. Thermaclime Inc. also is named as a defendant but it has not filed similar motions.

Attorneys for El Dorado and CF Industries did not return phone messages Friday.