A man who said he was injured in the partial building collapse at a Kansas City Family Dollar last summer has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging he was injured attempting to rescue others.
Charles Ochlech filed the lawsuit Friday, stating Family Dollar was negligent and liable for the building conditions that led to his injuries. The suit names Family Dollar Stores of Missouri LLC; the parent company, Family Dollar Inc; and the property owner, Arthur Fels Company, as defendants.
The Family Dollar store in the 3700 block of Broadway Boulevard partially collapsed July 27, killing one man and injuring others. In August, a woman filed a lawsuit against Family Dollar after she was left with serious injuries from the collapse.
The building had been missing a concrete pillar that was destroyed when a car crashed into the building in 2016. Pictures of the building over the years show it had not been replaced.
City records show that just days before the collapse, Kansas City’s neighborhoods department received multiple complaints about the Family Dollar — including that the structure was “tilting.”
Ochlech had just finished shopping when part of the roof collapsed, bringing down heavy debris onto several other customers, according to court documents. Ochlech said he immediately attempted to remove debris from victims and in the process allegedly injured his neck, back and legs.
He also claims in the suit he has suffered emotional distress, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder as a result of what he witnessed at the scene, and alleges the defendants had the duty to maintain the structural integrity of the building, inspect the roof and warn the public it was not reasonably safe.
Ochlech has received multiple medical bills as a result of his injuries, according to the suit, and will continue to incur future expenses and lose earning power due to the collapse.
City records show that inspectors were sent to the property dozens of times in recent years for issues involving littering, weeds, graffiti and excess trash around the building at 3736 Broadway Blvd. The property racked up 22 citations in the last four years, three of which escalated to charges against the key officers of the company that owns the Midtown building.
Ochlech is requesting a trial by jury and is suing for damages exceeding $25,000.
Arthur Fels Company declined The Star’s request for comment for this story. Family Dollar did not immediately respond to The Star’s request for comment.
Previous reporting from The Star’s Kendrick Calfee, Chris Higgins and Judy Thomas were used in this piece.
