WHEELING – An Ohio County woman has sued the City of Wheeling for alleged negligence.
Brenda Albert filed a lawsuit Feb. 5 in Ohio Circuit Court against the city of Wheeling.
According to the complaint, the Wheeling Fire Department responded to a fire in Albert’s home at 289 Warden Run Road on Feb. 14, 2013, and two hoses attached to fire hydrants lost pressure because of rock debris clogging the system, and the house could not be saved. The city sent Albert a notice Feb. 21, 2013, ordering her to raze the structure, the suit states, but as Albert is an unemployed, disabled widow who could not afford the cost of demolition, she attempted to raise funds from her community.
The lawsuit says when the city issued a warrant for the plaintiff’s arrest Aug. 5, 2013, she appeared in court to explain she was raising money and the case was postponed. She notified the city that the building was razed July 8, 2014, and requested that criminal charges be dismissed, the suit says.
Albert alleges the city could have avoided arresting her by using alternate means of enforcement, and city employees were negligent in the maintenance and operation of the waterworks system.
Albert seeks compensatory damages for real estate and personal property damage, aggravation, attorney fees and costs. She is represented by attorney Ronald Kasserman of Kasserman Law Offices in Wheeling.
Ohio Circuit Court case number: 15-C-43
Woman blames city for negligence in responding to fire
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