Class action lawsuit alleges negligence caused warehouse fire

A class action lawsuit has been filed after a Wood County warehouse caught fire over the weekend, raising health and safety concerns for nearby residents and businesses. A fire was reported at the Peoples Cartage facility along Camden Avenue in the Parkersburg area Saturday, but apparently rekindled Sunday, growing into a massive blaze that required action from more than two dozen agencies. Firefighting efforts spanned multiple days while burning plastics prompted air and water quality monitoring along with a shelter-in-place. A lawsuit naming Peoples Cartage and Total Distribution – a corporation that controls safety and compliance for the warehouse – claims negligence caused smoke, ash, soot and airborne contaminants to impact neighborhoods surrounding the warehouse. The complaint alleges after the initial blaze was believed to be under control, the facility’s sprinkler system was deactivated as water had soaked stacked boxes of inventory which were at risk of collapsing. According to the filing, employees opened fire-damaged containers of combustible materials, causing the fire to reignite and spread rapidly. Agents and employees of Peoples Cartage had ample notice that the facility carried an elevated risk of fire. They knew the chemical compounds stored there were extraordinarily volatile and combustible. They knew that cleaning up after the initial fire would require moving those chemical compounds, agitating and disturbing substances that could ignite upon contact with the air. In addition, the filing claims operators had previous knowledge of hazards, violations and safety issues that were not properly addressed. The suit outlined issues from last year at the nearby Airport Industrial Park facility recently acquired by Total Distribution, including a fire in a hazardous waste storage building and a reported lack of personal protective equipment. Violations resulted in fines for the corporation along with the development of a corrective action plan. The filing seeks compensation for property damage, cleanup and personal injury along with legal fees. _________________________________________ Follow WCHS on social media: Facebook:   / eyewitnessnewscharleston   Twitter:   / wchs8fox11​   Instagram:   / wchs8fox11   For the latest local and national news, visit our website: https://wchstv.com/ Sign up for our newsletter: https://wchstv.com/sign-up