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Lawsuit: Railroad Should Pay For Damage After 416 Fire

By Dominic Garcia

DURANGO, Colo. (CBS4) - The 416 Fire may have missed Kristi Householder's home, but the mudslides caused by rain on July 14 didn't.

"Boulders coming down across the road and across the ditch and into my property. Hit the garage door, bent in the garage door, it failed. Filled my garage entirely with 18 inches of mud," she told CBS4's Dominic Garcia.

IMG_4125 416 fire
(credit: Kristi Householder)

Kristi had to hire excavators to clear everything out. Then, 10 days later it happened again.

"Flooded my kitchen, my hallway. The, you know, under all the cabinets. Under every appliance," she said.

IMG_4113 416 fire
(credit: Kristi Householder)

Kristi is one of several residents and businesses who have filed a lawsuit against the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. It claims that the railroad sparked what would become the 416 Fire in June, and that the company should have known about drought conditions.

The 416 fire in Hermosa, Colorado
DURANGO, CO - JUNE 12: Colorado state patrol officers help maintain road closures on County Road 205 on June 12, 2018 in Durango, Colorado. The fire, burning 23 miles northwest of Durango, started June 1 and has now burned 25,900 acres. No homes have burned and no firefighters have been injured. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Kristi says the mudslides are because of the fire.

"Of course every time it rains, you're on pins and needles waiting for the next mud debris," she said.

IMG_4101 416 fire
(credit: Kristi Householder)

Kristi says they support the train, and it's an important part of the area's history, but they need to be compensated for the damage.

For Kristi, she's already spent $100,000 on the cleanup and damage.

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train
(credit: Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train)

"We want to make sure the train continues to run and continues to thrive in our community. But there's no question in my mind that the train started the fire that day."

CBS4 reached out to the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, but were told they can't comment on pending litigation.

Wildfire Resources

- Visit CBSDenver.com's Colorado Wildfire section.

Wildfire Photo Galleries

- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Black Forest, Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile), the deadliest (Storm King) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.

Dominic Garcia anchors CBS4 News at 5 p.m. and reports for CBS4 News at 10 p.m. Connect with the Denver native on Twitter @cbs4dom & on Facebook.

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