B.C. man sues city over lost finger

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – A man who claims to have lost his finger while repairing damage caused by a sinkhole resulting from a faulty municipal water line on his property is suing the City of Kamloops.

Kenneth Walters has filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court.

Walters said he saw the sinkhole on March 16 and reported that to the city.

He said in his statement of claim that a city worker told him the sinkhole was likely caused by a broken line on his property, so Walters shut off his water.

He said in the document that the break was in a city service line, which leaked underground onto his property “for an extended period of time.”

Walters claimed he lost part of his finger while fixing the damage caused by the water-line break.

“The water leakage was an occurrence within the defendant’s (city’s) control as the water leakage was a foreseeable result of the defendant’s negligent water pipe,” the claim states.

Walters is seeking unspecified compensation for the loss of his finger and for damage caused to his property by the broken water line.

The city has three weeks to respond once it has been served.

None of the allegations in the statement of claim have been proven in court. (Kamloops This Week)