Suit filed over burst pipes that flooded Center City highrise

By Dana DiFilippo and DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Posted: June 05, 2012

Less than a week after burst water pipes forced 250 residents out of their Center City high-rise for several days, a tenant has filed a complaint against the management company, claiming negligence.

Attorney Thomas More Marrone filed the complaint against the Camco Management Co. on behalf of tenant William R. Piper Jr. "and all others similarly situated." Piper, who owns the 12 th Street Gym, owns two units in the building and has lived there for years, Marrone said.

The Courthouse News Serice first reported the complaint had been filed.

The water pipes erupted Tuesday night inside the Center City One high-rise at Spruce and Juniper streets, flooding hallways and condos and knocking out gas pilot lights of ovens and stoves. Management declared the 182-unit, 30-story building unsafe, and residents were forced to find temporary shelter with friends, family or the Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Most tenants didn’t return to their homes to assess damages until this weekend, and many remain reluctant to return, due to concerns about mold and lingering problems, Marrone said.

The complaint alleges that Camco failed to frequently inspect the water standpipes and failed to ensure staff was on-site and properly trained to handle such an emergency. It asks a judge to certify the complaint as class-action and seeks unspecified compensation for property damages and loss.

A Camco representative declined to comment this morning.

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