ComEd Blamed For $275,800 Joliet House Fire: Lawsuit

JOLIET, IL - A July 6, 2017 fire that ruined the home of Nick and Marsha Maggio on Joliet's west side is now the subject of a civil lawsuit. The plaintiffs are blaming ComEd's negligence for the fire at 423 Catherine St. The blaze caused $275,800 in damage to the Maggio house and the couple's belongings, their lawsuit states.

The Maggios' had homeowner's insurance through State Firm, lawyers for State Farm informed Will County's judiciary in last week's lawsuit. ComEd, on the other hand, provided electrical energy to the Maggio house through an electrical energy distribution system, the plaintiffs note.

"The Com-Ed line is a dangerous instrumentality which conducts a high voltage of electricity and which is solely Com-Ed's responsibility to inspect, maintain and control at all times … On July 6, 2017, the Com-Ed line failed suddenly and catastrophically while it was supplying electrical energy to the Maggio residence," argues Geneva-based lawyer Patrick Gareis from the law firm of Grotefield, Hoffmann, Gordon, Ochoa & Evinger.

That day, "the failure of the Com-Ed line caused it to contact the metal shell of an Airstream camper located next to the Maggio residence … the catastrophic failure of the Com-Ed line sent current across or through the Airstream camper which communicated into the Maggio residence, causing a fire which did substantial damage to the home and the Maggio's personal property," their lawyers argue.

Will County's court is informed that State Farm is a bona fide subrogee "by virtue of its payments to or on behalf of the Maggios in connection with the losses" totaling $275,800.

Here's why ComEd was negligent and caused the Joliet house fire, as outlined by the plaintiff's lawyers:

• Carelessly and negligently failed to properly install the ComEd Line.
• Carelessly and negligently failed to adequately insulate their ComEd line and its component parts located in close proximity to real and personal property.
• Carelessly and negligently failed to properly inspect, test and maintain the ComEd line to ensure against a fire hazard.
• Was otherwise careless and negligent in installing, servicing, inspecting and maintaining the ComEd line

ComEd has yet to file its response to the allegations outlined in the Will County lawsuit. The case was given a hearing date of June 25.