Former pastor sues church

January 11, 2002

Published Tuesday, January 08, 2002 12:26 PM CST

A former Central Baptist Church pastor and his family are suing the church

and several air conditioning-related companies for health problems allegedly

caused by a faulty air conditioner in the church parsonage.

The Rev. Don Bassett, now of Louisiana, filed the suit in Pike County

Circuit Court last month against Heil-Quaker Corp., International Comfort

Products Corp., Pameco Corp., R & G Heating and Cooling Inc. and its

representative " Ricky " McElveen of McComb, Specialty Risk

Services Inc., Frontier Adjusters Inc. and its representative Ralph

Henson, and Central Baptist Church Inc.

The civil lawsuit, handled by Hattiesburg attorney V. Kemp, asks

for $2.8 million in actual damages and at least $50 million in punitive

damages.

Other family members joining in the suit are Donna Armond Bassett, Mark

Bassett and Jana Elaine Bassett, a minor.

According to the suit, Rev. Bassett became pastor at the McComb church in

February 2000, six months after R & G installed a new Heil-Quaker air

conditioning unit in the parsonage at 800 Witterman St.

The Bassetts noticed blue-gray particles covering surfaces in the house and

notified church officials in April, according to the suit, which represents

one side of a legal argument.

Church officials contacted R & G, but the problem continued unresolved

throughout the summer, and the family experienced respiratory and other

health problems, the suit alleges.

In September, Heil-Quaker contracted with Specialty Risk Services and

Frontier Adjusters to assess the problem, and hired Service Master of

to remove contaminated items and clean the house. Frontier Adjusters

allegedly offered the Bassetts compensation but in November withdrew the

offer, the suit claims. The Bassetts left Central Baptist a year ago.

A church official and McElveen both declined to comment on the advice of

their attorneys.

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