Benford v. Berkeley Heating Co.

Brailsford, Justice:

Marvin Benford brought this action against Berkeley Heating Company and The Trane Company for the near-total loss of his new home in a fire caused by the gas furnace. The jury absolved Berkeley Heating, which sold and installed their furnace, but returned a verdict against Trane, the manufacturer. Trane appeals from the denial of its alternative motions for judgment non obstante veredicto or a new trial.

The furnace was installed in the crawl space beneath the house during August, 1967. A few days after the fire, which occurred on November 30, 1967, a mechanical engineer…