Lawsuit Filed Over Multiple Deaths In Horse Trailer /

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Lawsuit Filed Over Multiple Deaths In Horse Trailer

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Posted: 11:11 AM Oct 10, 2008
Last Updated: 11:30 AM Oct 10, 2008

5 comments

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A woman is suing the maker of a portable heater over the deaths of her parents and two daughters in Madison from carbon monoxide poisoning. They were using the heater to keep warm while sleeping in a horse trailer before last year's World Clydesdale Show.

The lawsuit that Karina Clay filed in Dane County Circuit Court claims the company knew the heater was dangerous but sold it without safety warnings.

Found dead a year ago were 68-year-old DeVere Clay and his 57-year-old wife Barbara Clay, who were Clydesdale breeders from Tomah, and their granddaughters, 10-year-old Erin Briney and 13-year-old Hope Briney.

They were at the Alliant Center for the World Clydesdale Show, which opened the next day.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from Mr. Heater Corporation and its parent company, Enerco Group, of Cleveland.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: James Location: Neillsville on Oct 14, 2008 at 09:12 AM
James may be a little rough in the way he presented his thoughts, but he is right. We do not need manufacturers to tell us when something may be dangerous. We get warnings about space heaters all the time as public health messages. Especially in the winter time. It is the responsibility of the individual to use products wisely. This would come under the 'I didn't know smoking was harmful' excuse. It doesn't wash anymore.

Posted by: "Jay" on Oct 10, 2008 at 08:59 PM
Sam, you are so right about James. He couldn't be more wrong. I knew these people personally. There has not been a day to go by where I don't think of them and their families. These poeple where very knowledgeable. They died due to a manufactuer's wrongdoing. James, you were obviously not fimilar with the original story itself. I have seen and heard more crazy lawsuits than this.(did you hear about the woman in CA for suing a grocery store over a pile of dust that she tripped on and got hurt. Yep she won for pain and suffering) I am sure there are not many people our there that knew carbon monoxide doesn't rise. They did have a top vent open for ventilation.

Posted by: Sam Location: Eau Claire on Oct 10, 2008 at 03:14 PM
James, you are a very rude, uncompassionate person. Your comment is unnecessary and thoughtless. Good people lost their lives. Don't be rude.

Posted by: Jane Location: Neillsville on Oct 10, 2008 at 02:05 PM
So where then are you suppose to use a space heater? Outdoors in the open?

Posted by: James Location: Eau Claire on Oct 10, 2008 at 12:28 PM
If anyone ever wondered why there's stupid warnings on products sold in this country...here's your reason!! I'm guessing this portable heater used some type of combustable fuel, gas maybe? Burning gas in an enclosed/semi-enclosed area...hmmm. Since when in this country did not having common sense become a reason to sue someone? What's next, sueing a grocery store because they sold a t-bone steak with out a warning telling the consumer to chew their food thoroughly so they don't choke?!??!