Portsmouth Ready to Pay $9000 To Settle Bad Fire Hydrant Claim
Portsmouth has settled a claim from homeowners claiming that a bad fire hydrant caused them to suffer damages from a fire.
The owners of a 3rd Street home claim that they and a tenant suffered damages after a fire broke out in March of 2021 at a 4th Street property owned by Neal Hatcher.
They say the fire damaged their carport and shed and destroyed property belonging to their tenant. The homeowners sued Hatcher for not properly securing the property to keep out trespassers, which they say caused the fire.
Additionally, they say the city’s failure to properly maintain the fire hydrant caused additional damage to their property.
Hatcher’s attorney denied there was any evidence showing his client was responsible for the fire.
The city solicitor has recommended the city settle with the plaintiffs for $9,000. The money will be paid from the general fund.
A measure to approve the payment will be added to the council’s agenda for Monday’s meeting with a recommendation that they pass it as an emergency and issue a payment to the homeowners.