CHARLESTON — A woman is suing Mountaineer Gas claiming a gas leak caused an explosion that caused her severe burns and injuries.
Shop-A-Minit Market was also named as a defendant in the suit.
Janet Danberry was injured on July 18, 2021, while on the premises of Judy's, which is owned by Shop-A-Minit, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Danberry claims prior to that date, Mountaineer had installed gas lines in the Beaver Plaza.
Mountaineer Gas owed a duty to install, inspect, monitor, service, maintain and test its gas lines pursuant to gas safety statutes and failed to do so, according to the suit.
Danberry claims she was working at Judy's on July 28, 2021, and a puncture hole was made in a natural gas line owned, operated and maintained by Mountaineer and a considerable leak had occurred.
While Danberry was working at Judy's on that date, the leaking natural gas from the line at the rear of the property migrated into the sewer line and caused gas to inundate into Judy's building, ultimately causing an explosion, fire and partial collapse of the building while Danberry was inside, according to the suit.
Danberry claims the gas leak and accumulation created a combustible atmosphere inside Judy's building, which caused the fire and explosion.
"As a proximate result of Defendant's actions and inactions, Plaintiff suffered severe third-degree burns to her face, head, arms, hands, chest and abdomen, [and] had two fingers amputated due to the severity of her burns," the complaint states.
Danberry claims she suffered physical pain and suffering, as well as mental anguish, physical impairment, loss of capacity to enjoy life, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, medical expenses, scarring, disfigurement and annoyance and inconvenience.
Judy's did not have any gas leak detection on its property, according to the suit.
Danberry is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is represented by D. Blake Carter Jr. and Taylor M. Norman of Bailey, Javins & Carter in Charleston.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Kenneth Ballard.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 22-C-385