Alexandria, LA – A 2012 lawsuit that alleges a man was burned when a gas explosion at an Alexandria Mall restaurant will head back to 9th Judicial District Judge George Metoyer’s courtroom on Monday.
Kyjtim “Tim” and Zejgan Ajro filed a civil lawsuit against Alexandria Main Mall LLC, the city of Alexandria and both entities’ insurance carriers in November 2012. It alleged that, in November 2011, a city employee of the gas department failed to conduct a “leak test” after supplying the Ajros’ Made in NY Pizza restaurant with natural gas and “completely failed to test a portion of the gas supply system,” reads the lawsuit.
The employee was physically unable to reach a gas valve behind a pizza over, but told Tim Ajro that it was safe to light the pilot, it reads. The employee then left, leaving the task to Tim Ajro.
“Petitioners show that the agent and representative of the city of Alexandria municipal gas department then left the premises, leaving your petitioner Kyjtim ‘Tim’ Ajro to physically open the remaining necessary valves supplying gas to the ‘pizza oven,’ and to light the pilot and gassing supply system, with the repeated assurance that it would be safe, and that the city employee was familiar with the equipment and the location,” the lawsuit reads.
After Ajro leaned into the oven to light the pilot, the lawsuit states that he as “forcibly” thrown across the restaurant when a gas explosion and fire erupted.