Associated Press Published

Suits Over West Virginia Warehouse Fire in Federal Court

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Three lawsuits seeking damages following the industrial warehouse fire that burned for a week in Parkersburg have been moved from state to federal court.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that the defendants sought the transfer from Wood County Circuit Court because of the large number of plaintiffs and sum of money in question.

The blaze began Oct. 21 in the 420,000-square-foot (39,000-square-meter) property owned by Intercontinental Export Import Inc., or IEI Plastics.

The lawsuits allege IEI and others failed to take appropriate steps to prevent the fire, that people in West Virginia and Ohio exposed to the smoke and airborne particles will require medical monitoring and that possible damages exceed $5 million.