Lucas County settles fire damage claim

6/3/2009

Lucas County commissioners voted 3-0 Tuesday to settle the county's insurance claim on a fire in a county-owned garage.

The county received $1,109,503 from Factory Mutual Insurance Co., North Olmsted, Ohio, for the damage resulting from the Feb. 14 blaze at 546 Southard Ave., also identified as 1801 Canton Ave.

The fire was blamed on a new county truck that erupted into flames just a few minutes after it was driven into the building after plowing snow.

Smoke damage from the fire ruined county-owned vehicles and maintenance equipment belonging to the county's facilities department along with equipment and supplies belonging to the Lucas County Board of Elections, which uses a part of the garage as its warehouse.

Mike Beazley, Lucas County administrator, said the claim settlement is minus a $100,000 deductible, but he said the county expects to recover the deductible as well from other insurance carriers.

The settlement includes $198,627 in board of elections equipment and supplies. Those included 24 optical scanning machines that cost $2,483 each, 500 luggage carts valued at a total of $11,725, and 180 cases of thermal paper valued at $10,159.