He once called 88 times in a two-hour period. He repeatedly drove past her house in his black BMW. He sent rambling emails and countless text messages.The husband of a Fort Wayne woman killed in a natural gas explosion sued NIPSCO, alleging negligence in the company’s handling of a reported gas odor before the fire.
Janice Betancourt, 55, died in April, just over a month after she was rushed to St. Joseph Hospital in critical condition from an explosion at her home at 8128 Corto Calle St.
According to the lawsuit filed in Allen Superior Court last week by Michael Betancourt, Northern Indiana Public Service Co. was negligent in repairing leaks to a natural gas line running through the Betancourt’s property, as well as failing to have the proper amount of odorant installed in the gas being delivered.
Janice Betancourt suffered severe second- and third-degree burns over 75 percent of her body and died from blood poisoning as a result of her injuries, according to court documents.
When police arrived at the home, panels from the garage door were strewn about the driveway. The fire was later attributed by investigators to a natural gas leak on the property.
The lawsuit alleges that neighbors made reports of an odor of natural gas prior to and on the morning of the March 8 explosion, according to court documents.
And after the explosion, fire investigators saw bubbles in a puddle of water in the Betancourt’s yard, along with the faint odor of mercaptan, according to court documents.
But, according to court documents, NIPSCO employees repaired a leaking gas pipe after the explosion without documenting damage to the pipe.
Natural gas is odorless, and distributors put chemical compounds, such as mercaptan, in the lines to make the gas detectable by smell, a NIPSCO spokesman said.
NISCO officials declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Michael Betancourt is seeking compensatory damages as well as damages for aggravating circumstances, according to court documents.
