Father, son sue Fog, AllState for house fire

CHARLESTON -- A father and son are suing Fog Inc. and AllState Insurance Company after their house caught fire.

On Jan. 9, the home that George D. Workman Jr. and George D. Workman III rented from Fog Inc. caught on fire from a defective water heater, according to a complaint filed June 14 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

The Workmans claim they had requested smoke detectors for the rented home but none were ever provided.

George D. Workman Jr. was at work at the time of the fire and George D. Workman III was asleep in the residence, according to the suit.

When George D. Workman III awoke during the fire, he realized his only way of escaping the fire was a window in his bedroom, but the window would not open, so he had to knock out the window and jump from the second story of the residence, according to the suit.

The Workmans claim George D. Workman III suffered serious cuts and bruises; and injuries to his wrist, forearm, shoulder and right foot.

Fog, Inc., refused to refund the Workmans' security deposit or remainder of the rent for the month of January, even though the home was uninhabitable, according to the suit.

The Workmans are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by Roger D. Forman.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Louis Bloom.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 10-C-1062