Rural Metro Sued For Tucson Rekindle

Posted by: Curt Varone July 26, 2017 2 Comments

The insurance company for the owners of an Arizona house that burned in 2016 is suing the Rural Metro Fire Department for failing to fully extinguish an earlier blaze at the house.

The January 9, 2016 fire destroyed the home of Jack and Connie Donovan in Tucson, causing an estimated $641,886 in damage. Secura Supreme Insurance Co. paid the claim and filed suit against Rural Metro and Emergency Medical Transport, Inc. in Pima County Superior Court on July 13, 2017.

The suit claims that Rural Metro failed to properly extinguish an earlier fire at the residence, and a rekindle caused the second fire. Tucson.com quoted from the complaint:

  • “[Rural Metro] failed to detect and prevent a rekindle of the fire in the home.”
  • “Rural/Metro negligently and improperly determined, and acted as if, the fire was extinguished and the home and property were protected and safeguarded.”

The complaint was not available. More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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