By Brad Kellar
Commerce – More than $27 million in damages are sought in a lawsuit filed by the City of Commerce against the owners of an apartment complex, alleged of illegally dumping asbestos.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was also named as a plaintiff in the case, along with the city.
The suit was filed on May 5 against Fountainbleu Management Companies, of New Orleans, owners of the Live Oak Apartments.
Following an April 2008 fire that destroyed one of their buildings at 2224 Live Oak St., the owners were required to have a licensed asbestos contractor remove the material from the debris. The suit alleges the owners demolished the building and removed the debris on their own, then illegally dumped more than 20 containers of asbestos-contaminated debris in the local landfill, while burying more of the debris on the complex property.