ORLANDO -- A man claims to have suffered a severe injury after a vacuum pump exploded due to being the wrong item that a company employee suggested.
Richard Longenecker filed a complaint on May 12 in Orange County Circuit Court against Harbor Freight Tools USA, Inc. for strict liability, negligence and breach of implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose.
According to the complaint, On Oct. 20, 2020, Longenecker went into a Harbor Freight Tools USA retail store to buy a vacuum pump he needed to work on a refrigerator. Upon going into the store, Longenecker requested help from an employee in finding a vacuum pump to fit a R290 refrigerant.
The employee then allegedly directed Longenecker to a "Pittsburgh" 2.5 CFM vacuum pump. According to the complaint, R290 refrigerant is explosive, R290 refrigerant requires the use of a vacuum pump that is specially designed to prevent explosions and fires and the pump provided by the employee did not fit said criteria.
On Oct. 22, 2020, Longenecker allegedly noticed a flame emanating from the subject vacuum pump that then exploded. Longenecker alleged that the pump he bought did not come with "adequate warnings, instructions, and information advising of the dangers posed by using the subject vacuum pump with explosive refrigerants like R290."
Longenecker seeks actual damages, consequential damages, economic damages, non-economic damages, damages for mental anguish, emotional distress, pain and suffering and attorney's fees and costs including interest. Longenecker is represented by Steven E. Nauman of Morgan and Morgan P.A.