Washington, D.C. – Attorney General Linda Singer and David P. Gragan, Director of the Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP), today announced that the District has filed an approximately $13 million damages claim against a contractor whose negligence they allege caused an April 30, 2007, fire that severely damaged the historic Georgetown Neighborhood Branch Library at 3260 R St., NW.

The $13 million claim was filed against the Dynamic Corporation of Hyattsville, Maryland. The D.C. government contracted with Dynamic in February 2007 to provide exterior improvements at the library.  Two Brothers Contracting, Inc. was subcontracted by Dynamic to remove lead-based paint and restore the library’s windows.

An origin and cause investigation conducted by the Fire/Arson Investigation Unit (FIU) of the District of Columbia Office of the Fire Marshall and other agencies concluded that the fire resulted from the ignition of combustible materials by electrical heating devices.

“While the filing of this claim represents a mathematical calculation of the city’s loss, the true loss is incalculable,” Gragan said. “Residents can be fully assured that the District will not accept poor work or poor management of any job from vendors doing business with this city.”   

“The District is pursuing claims against Dynamic Corporation for its role in the fire.  We believe that this contractor may have been negligent in performing some of the work on the library by not securing the heating guns in a safe and responsible manner,” Attorney General Singer said. “Assuming this is so, the District is entitled to damages for the destruction of this historic building, and it our responsibility to city taxpayers to ensure that businesses we engage for work are accountable for their actions.”

According to the claim filed against Dynamic, the company is liable for:

• $12 million in damages to the library’s structure;
• $7,942 in damages to library furniture;
• $4,000 in damages to computers and other information technology equipment;
• $925,207.30 for a contract entered into to stabilize the library after fire damages;
• $111,979.43 for contracts entered into to conduct fire damage restoration on books and collection;
• $710 in temporary means of irrigation for the Friends of Book Hill Park;
• $38,798 cost of change in scope of existing architectural/engineering contract for the exterior of the library to employ firms during stabilization;
• $640 per month for a lease agreement between the District and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington for four parking spaces; and
• Special collections – value not yet determined.

The District also reserves the right to amend the total if it is determined that there are additional damages. Gragan and Singer said that pursuant to D.C. Official Code, a contractor may appeal the final decision of a contracting officer within 90 days of the receipt of the final decision to the Contract Appeals Board.  The final decision in the library case was made on August 14.