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December 30, 2012 - 12:19 PM
VANCOUVER - A man from B.C. says he was surprised to see his name on a lawsuit against Wal-Mart because he didn't personally launch the court action.
The lawsuit alleges all the personal items of Gyula Kiss were destroyed Jan. 4, 2012 when a heater purchased at the retail giant sparked a fire and destroyed his home in the Okanagan community of Coldstream.
The lawsuit says Wal-mart and the heater's manufacturer had a duty to warn of any defects and ensure the heater was reasonably inspected before its sale.
But Kiss who is a former mayor and current municipal councillor says he only learned about the lawsuit while watching the news Friday night.
After talking to a lawyer Saturday, Kiss says he learned that while his name was on the court documents, it was his insurance company that registered the claim against Wal-Mart.
Neither Wal-Mart nor the heater's maker, Fusion Canada, have issued a reply to the court action and the allegations in the statement of claim have not been proven in court.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012