Court Says Contractors Don’t Have to Pay for Indiana Courthouse Fire

The state appeals court says contractors don’t have to pay a southern Indiana county part of the cost of repairing its historic courthouse following a 2009 fire.

The court last week upheld a lower court ruling against Jefferson County in its lawsuit against three contractors that were remodeling the courthouse before the fire.

The Madison Courier reports the court found the county didn’t buy a separate insurance plan for that remodeling project. The court ruled the county breached the project contract, which required it to notify contractors if it chose not to buy additional insurance to cover the project.

The May 2009 fire caused more than $6 million in damage to the 1855 courthouse.

The Associated Press left a phone message seeking comment from the county commissioners.