BAKER CITY — A Baker Valley couple has filed a civil lawsuit against Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative seeking $2.2 million in economic and noneconomic damages for a 2022 fire that damaged their home.

Donald and Charlotte Beck, who live on Hudson Road just north of Highway 86, about a mile east of Interstate 84, filed the lawsuit on Wednesday, Feb. 21.

They are represented by Billy M. Sime, an attorney from Parks Bauer LLP in Salem.

According to the lawsuit, on April 5, 2022, “there was a surge of abnormally high voltage of electricity through OTEC’s distribution line to the meter attached to the Becks’ home, causing the service entry cable and the main circuit breakers to blow apart and causing a fire which started inside of the wall between the meter and circuit breaker.”

The blaze spread to the Becks’ home, causing damage that displaced them from the home for 10 months, according to the lawsuit.

The Becks contend in the suit that the “electricity delivered to the meter on the Becks’ home was in a defective condition in that the surge of the abnormally high voltage of electricity was not contemplated by the Becks and it was unreasonably dangerous to the Becks’ person and property.”

The lawsuit states that the fire caused damage to the home totaling $161,539, and damage to their personal property totaling $30,481. The couple incurred additional expenses totaling $58,839.

Donald Beck is a sculptor and western artist, and according to the lawsuit the molds he created, and the original items used to make the molds, were stored in a studio in the couple’s home. Those items were damaged and can no longer be used to cast bronze sculptures, according to the lawsuit.

The suit also states that the Becks, as a result of the fire, “suffered emotional distress, upset, worry, loss of sleep, stress and an interference with their normal and usual activities. …”

They are seeking noneconomic damages, not to exceed $2 million, with the amount to be determined by a jury.

Shane Stenquist, manager of communications for OTEC, said cooperative officials did not have any comment about the lawsuit.

Donald Beck said Thursday morning, Feb. 22 that he had to talk to the couple’s attorney before commenting.