Homeowners file lawsuit against owners of St. Clair Co. landfill

ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - Two homeowners have filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Environmental Landfill in St. Clair County. The suit claims the owners were negligent and they also mention medical issues their families are dealing with.

Homeowners Candice Jackson and Emmanuel Gomes are being represented by Attorney Mark Ekonen. The lawsuit says an anonymous complaint was filed in January 2013 about unauthorized waste at the landfill. Later that year in November, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management noted the site contained construction and demolition materials as well as scrap tires.

The lawsuit also shows in 2017, ADEM reported for the first time the landfill was a fire hazard because of a lack of water and the location of tire piles.

The lawsuit also includes the health issues the homeowners are dealing with.

WBRC spoke to plaintiff Candice Jackson last month, a few days after the fire started.

“Our whole entire house is horrible with the smoke,” says Jackson. “Our children. We’re all complaining of sore throats, red itchy eyes, it’s been really bad. Everything is covered in smoke. It’s covered with ash. It’s coming in through the HVAC units. I guess we’re going to have to deal with some type of prolonged smoke exposure.”

The other plaintiff, Emmanuel Gomes, says his children have asthma and they’ve dealt with severe symptoms since the fire started.

WBRC reached out to the Environmental Landfill about the lawsuit, but we have not heard back.

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