By Amy Leigh Womack
The Macon Telegraph
MACON, Ga. — A man is suing Cox Communications, alleging that the fire alarm wiring for his Macon home wasn’t connected properly after he switched service to the company.
As a result, the man contends, there was a delay in firefighter notification when his house caught fire and burned several months later.
In his lawsuit, Charles Lewis contends that the delay caused his home on North Mumford Road to sustain greater fire damage. He also had to incur costs of living elsewhere as well as other expenses. The complaint was filed in Bibb County State Court last week.
Lewis’ lawyer declined comment on the case, citing the pending lawsuit. A Cox Communications spokesman also declined comment.
Lewis said he contracted with Cox on July 28, 2014, to disconnect his phone and other services from AT&T and connect them to Cox.
“While installing the fire alarm wiring, the Cox Cable technician omitted and failed to properly install, attach, and/or activate the fire alarm wiring,” according to the suit.
The house caught fire on Dec. 12, 2014, and Lewis “suffered a devastating and catastrophic fire loss,” the complaint says.
Records in the Bibb County Tax Assessor’s Office show the property is valued at $495,161.
Lewis contends that Cox didn’t properly install the fire alarm connection until Feb. 9, 2015. Cox breached his contract with the company and was negligent, he maintains.
Lewis is seeking to recover damages for the fire loss to his home, the costs of living elsewhere, attorney’s fees and other damages.
(c)2016 The Macon Telegraph (Macon, Ga.)