CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — A lawsuit was filed Monday against West Virginia American Water (WVAW) over faulty fire hydrants that led to a Charleston house burning to the ground in May.

According to the suit filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court, Richard “Ric” Cavender’s house in the 800 block of Chester Road in the historic Edgewood neighborhood caught on fire on May 5.

Recordings from firefighters on the scene show that they struggled to find enough water as the two-story house became consumed by flames. 13 News later learned that three fire hydrants in Edgewood did not have enough water pressure to battle the flames. The lawsuit said the Sissonville Volunteer Fire Department (VFD), the 130th FES McLaughlin Air National Guard Base Fire Department and the Glasgow VFD were able to bring the needed water to battle the blaze.

Eventually, the house burned to the ground, and the damage was so severe that the building was demolished within 24 hours following the start of the fire. The city of Charleston said West Virginia American Water is responsible for fire hydrant maintenance.

The lawsuit alleged that WVAW not delivering “sufficient water pressure to the fire hydrants” is what caused Cavendar, a Kanawha County Board of Education member, to lose his house, belongings and his family dog, Duke.

Charleston City Councilmember who represents the area where the fire took place, Jeanine Faegre, pushed for West Virginia American Water to test every fire hydrant in the city.

“I was in tears that I saw firefighters that needed the tool that they needed the most and they couldn’t get it, and that was their water,” Councilmember Jeanine Faegre said on May 16. “We all should be so thankful that we have such hard-working men and women with the Charleston Fire Department.”

WVAW was seen working on the fire hydrants in May, including one at the intersection of Beech Avenue and Edgewood Drive on May 11, and another at Lee Street and Marilyn Avenue one week later.

The Charleston community has come together to support Cavender. On May 13, a fundraiser at Short Story Brewery on Summers Street called “Foam a Few Blocks from the Dome” took place. The funds were donated to Charleston Main Street and Cavender.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Cavender by Hissam Forman Donovan Ritchie PLLC.