CLEVELAND, Ohio— The insurance company for Tower City and JACK Cleveland Casino is seeking $36 million for water damage caused after the building’s fire-protection system broke, according to a lawsuit.
Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. filed the lawsuit Thursday in federal court in Cleveland against Barberton-based S.A. Comunale Co.
S.A. Comunale installed steel pipes that carried water to the sprinkler system in the event of a fire. Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to the company for comment.
The installation happened during a largescale renovation of the Terminal Tower Residences inside the building above the mall, according to the lawsuit.
On June 7, 2021, an elbow-fitting joint in a pipe in the north stairwell between the 11th and 12th floors became disconnected, the lawsuit said.
The broken joint led to a “massive amount of water” to rush through Tower City and into the casino, causing “significant” water damage, the lawsuit said.
The flooding caused the building to shut down for the day. Videos posted online showed water pouring from the ceilings and pooling on the floor near the entrance off Public Square.
The insurance company accused S.A. Comunale of failing to properly install the elbow-fitting joint.
Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock owns Tower City. The insurance company is seeking reimbursement for $33 million it paid to fix Tower City and $3 million to fix the casino.
< Prev | Next > |
---|