Salem widow blames 58-year-old fridge

YOUNGSTOWN — A widow has filed a lawsuit against an Eastlake company in what she said was the carbon monoxide poisoning deaths of her husband, his brother and nephew, due to a malfunctioning 58-year-old refrigerator in a Canadian backcountry fishing cabin almost two years ago.

Sharyn Common, of Diagonal Road, Salem, sued Gould Electronics on Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court alleging negligence and product liability in what she called the wrongful death of her husband, Michael, on Sept. 17, 2005, in Gogama, Ontario.

The suit says the carbon monoxide from the refrigerator also killed Common’s brother, Richard, and nephew, James, on that day.

The suit says Gould is the successor to Servel Corp., which made the propane gas refrigerator in 1947. Gould officials could not be reached to comment.

The suit, which seeks damages in excess of $25,000, was filed by Attys. C. Scott Lanz and Jerry R. Krzys.