River Oaks mechanic sued after BMW catches fire

A Katy resident is suing over claims an improper cooling fan engine install by a River Oaks mechanic caused his BMW and his home to catch fire.

Katy resident James Deckelman filed a lawsuit on March 23 in Harris County District Court against River Oaks-area My Mechanic, citing negligence, breach of warranty and breach of contract.

Deckelman says on Aug. 27, 2011, his BMW X5 caught fire, just 24 hours after My Mechanic installed a new cooling fan in its engine compartment. According to the brief, the fire spread to Deckelman's Silverhorn Drive home in Katy and caused significant damage to the residence and his possessions.

The blaze completely destroyed the BMW, the suit alleges.

Deckelman is seeking damages, attorney's fees and court costs. He is being represented in the case by Dallas attorney Frank Webb.

Harris County District Court Case No. 2012-17508.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Harris County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.