Harter v. American Eagle Fire Ins. Co.

SIMONS, Circuit Judge.

The plaintiff below looked for escaping gas with a lighted match. The inevitable explosion and resulting fire which followed completely destroyed his house and his household goods, injured him, and caused him substantial loss of earning's. At the time of the explosion and fire, the plaintiff’s house was insured against fire in the sum of $5,-000 by a policy issued by the defendant insurance company, appellee. The plaintiff notified Mr. Hook, a local agent of the company, of the fire, and claims to have been told by Hook that there was nothing for him to do or sig-n; that…