Carr v. City of Detroit

A jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff against the defendant for $450,000. Defendant appeals the judgment and we affirm.

Plaintiff was sentenced to serve 30 days in the Detroit House of Correction for a traffic violation. He was assigned to the job of removing ashes from the pit in the boiler room.

On November 11, 1965, the plaintiff and another inmate went into the pit to remove ashes. While in the pit, fire and flame burst from the boiler into the pit area, severely injuring the plaintiff and killing the other inmate.

At the pretrial conference lists of witnesses were exchanged. The judge…