A Charleston man whose home was destroyed after firefighters struggled to find nearby hydrants with pressure is suing the water company responsible for maintaining the hydrants. Kanawha County Court records show that the lawsuit filed by Ric Cavender alleges West Virginia American Water neglected to properly maintain fire hydrants. The fire happened May 5 in the 800 block of Chester Road and firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze after four hours with the help of nearby fire departments who brought tankers of water. Cavendar’s home was a landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. West Virginia American Water has said the hydrants were operating on improper 4-inch mains instead of 6-inch, and were not operational at the time of the fire despite passing inspection in July 2022.