Tue, February 17, 2004
Flaming chutzpah
Firebug demands insurance proceeds
By DAVID SCHMEICHEL, COURTS REPORTER
A man convicted of torching his farm near Ste. Anne two years ago is taking his insurance company to court for its "high-handed" treatment of him. Former municipal counsellor Raymond Michaud was convicted of arson last March, after he was found lying face-down outside the wreckage of his farmhouse following a massive explosion on Feb. 12, 2002.
Ste. Anne is about 35 km southeast of Winnipeg.
Investigators later determined the blaze had been deliberately set, since several buildings, vehicles and pieces of machinery on the property were literally soaked in a red gasoline when fire crews showed up.
PIPE CUT
They also found a 200-gallon oil tank in Michaud's basement, with the valve in the open position, and a copper pipe leading to the furnace's burner that looked like it had been cut with a hacksaw.
Despite the evidence against him, Michaud recently filed a statement of claim alleging the Ecclesiastical Insurance Office failed to properly investigate the blaze or to properly compensate him for the damages.
"They drew quick conclusions and they blamed him," said Michaud's lawyer, Anthony Dalmyn. "They haven't investigated ... and they haven't paid him."
When asked how a man convicted of burning down his own farm can expect his insurance company to honour his policy, Dalmyn said: "That depends on whether the conviction stands on appeal."
The suit claims the insurance company treated Michaud high-handedly, failing to help him defend himself against proceedings that arose from the fire and to recover costs of environmental cleanup efforts.
