HOUSTON – A Houston pub has filed a lawsuit against an HVAC company, alleging that a technician's improper installation of a disconnect box caused a fire that destroyed their business.
The Polluted Parrot, also known as Griff's Irish Pub, filed a lawsuit in Harris County District Court against The Temperature Company, citing allegations of negligence.
According to court documents, on January 12, 2023, a technician from the Temperature Company was dispatched to Griff's Irish Pub to install a new disconnect box. The plaintiff claims that just hours after the installation, emergency services notified them that a fire had broken out at the pub. The building was a total loss, and the business has been inoperable for close to a year.
Eyewitness accounts and forensic evidence indicate that the fire initially broke out where the technician was working. Further investigation shows that the new disconnect box was improperly installed by the defendant's technician, who failed to connect all the wires to their terminals and caused the dangerous condition that led to the fire.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff claims that the defendant was negligent in its failure to properly train its employees.
Griff's is seeking more than $1,000,000 in compensation for damages, lost revenue, and mental anguish, plus interest, court costs, attorney's fees and any other relief the court deems proper. The plaintiff is represented in this case by attorney William Dills of William Dills Law, PLLC in Houston.
Harris County District Court case number 2023-77696 / Court: 333