By Glenn Smith
The Post and Courier
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Two more former Charleston firefighters have filed lawsuits against Sofa Super Store, its owners and several other companies over injuries they allegedly suffered from the deadly 2007 blaze.
The lawsuits, which accuse the businesses of negligence and reckless conduct, were filed in Charleston County by former firefighter Thad Morgan and Capt. Reginald Westbrook. The lawsuits, filed earlier this month, seek unspecified damages in connection with the June 18, 2007, blaze that killed nine city firefighters.
Morgan and Westbrook join eight other former firefighters who have sued the store, its owners, furniture makers and various companies that did work on the building. Relatives of the men who died have file similar lawsuits.
No more lawsuits are expected in the case as the statute of limitations expired Friday, the third anniversary of the fatal fire, attorney said.
The lawsuits state that Morgan and Westbrook were left with physical and psychological injuries as a result of fighting the fire at the mass furniture outlet on Savannah Highway and seeing their friends’ badly burned bodies.
Morgan resigned from the Fire Department in January 2009, citing personal reasons, fire officials said. Westbrook retired in May on a medical disability, authorities said.
Among other things, the lawsuits allege that illegal additions to the store violated building codes and allowed the fire to spread rapidly through the building. The complaints also fault the store and its owners for allegedly installing highly flammable roofing and ceiling products and storing highly flammable furniture and other materials without adequate fire-safety systems, such as sprinklers.
Sofa Super Store attorney Richard Rosen declined comment Monday on the lawsuits.
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