Mississippi City Wants Insurer to Pay for Building Collapse Clean Up

A southwest Mississippi city is trying to get paid for $370,000 it’s spent cleaning up a building that collapsed July 23.

McComb city attorney Wayne Dowdy told the Board of Selectmen that the building’s owner and its insurer continue to refuse to turn over details of the insurance company.

The Enterprise-Journal reports that Dowdy calls the refusal “highly unusual.”

The city has sued building owner Talex Enterprises and Hudson Insurance Co., seeking repayment. Dowdy says the insurer says the city sued the wrong company, but the lawyer says the second company and Hudson have common ownership.

The city claims in its lawsuit that Terrance Alexander, who directed the Jubilee Performing Arts Center, knew before the roof collapsed that it was in danger of falling in. Alexander denies that claim.