Kenneth and Lydia Williams have filed a strict liability, negligence, and breach of implied warranty complaint against W.M. Barr & Company, Inc., alleging that the company's product caused a fire at their residence. The complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2024.
The plaintiffs, Kenneth and Lydia Williams, residents of Hatboro, Pennsylvania, claim that on or prior to May 23, 2023, they used Klean-Strip Boiled Linseed Oil manufactured by W.M. Barr & Company at their property. On May 23, 2023, Mr. Williams applied the product to his truck and subsequently placed the application materials saturated with the product into a bucket within the truck bed. Later that day, a fire erupted from these rags causing extensive damage to their property.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs argue that the fire was directly caused by spontaneous combustion of the rags soaked with Klean-Strip Boiled Linseed Oil. They allege that W.M. Barr failed to provide adequate warnings about this risk and did not offer sufficient instructions for safe disposal or storage of materials exposed to the product. "The subject product as designed...was defective and unreasonably dangerous," states one part of their claim.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages exceeding $75,000 for property damage and additional expenses incurred due to the fire. They also cite inconvenience and loss of enjoyment of their property as part of their suffering.
Represented by attorneys Kenneth T. Levine and Matthew Connolly from de Luca Levine LLC, Kenneth and Lydia Williams demand judgment against W.M. Barr & Company for damages plus interest, costs, attorney’s fees, delay damages, and other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Judge John Milton Younge is presiding over Case No. 2:24-cv-2062.