Maryland Woman Sues Tobacco Company over Fatal Fire

A woman whose mother died in a fire has filed suit seeking $30 million from a tobacco company and a landlord.

Dawn Bunch filed the suit Feb. 19 in Washington County Circuit Court. Bunch’s mother, 58-year-old Linda Ford, died in a fire in 2006 that was caused by a cigarette.

Named in the suit are Lorillard Tobacco Co. and Barbara Bristow, who owned the property where Bunch and Ford lived.

The suit alleges that Lorillard designed the product in such a way as to cause “an unreasonable risk of fire.” It also claims that Bristow failed to provide “warning devices” in the home.

Neither Lorillard nor Bristow would comment on the suit.

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Information from: Herald Mail Hagerstown