Case Number CIVSB2505403
Summary: In June 2024 the plaintiff, HCI Systems, Incorporated, mis‑wired a twenty‑four‑volt control conductor in the new fire‑alarm installation at the defendant’s banquet facility. The wiring error overloaded and destroyed the control transformers in all twelve rooftop air‑conditioning units, depriving the building of climate control during peak summer heat. The defendant incurred substantial direct repair costs, refunded clients, and suffered reputational damage.
The defendant, Global Brands Jam, Incorporated, owns and operates the thirty‑five‑thousand‑square‑foot Grand Central Plaza Banquet Hall at 317 North Euclid Avenue, Ontario, California. As part of a tenant‑improvement project, Global Brands Jam retained HCI Systems, Incorporated, to install a complete fire‑alarm and life‑safety system. The subcontract required integration with twelve rooftop air‑conditioning units (RTU‑1 through RTU‑12).
On twelve June two‑thousand‑twenty‑four HCI Systems energised the system but landed a twenty‑four‑volt control wire intended for a single RTU onto the emergency shutdown loop controlling every rooftop unit. The resulting over‑voltage overheated and destroyed each unit’s low‑voltage transformer over nine days. During four booked events, indoor temperatures exceeded ninety degrees Fahrenheit, prompting guests to leave early and demand refunds.
CoolTech Services diagnosed the fault on one July, replaced twelve transformers, and rewired the control loop between three July and ten July at a cost of twenty‑two‑thousand‑eight‑hundred United States dollars. Global Brands Jam issued forty‑six‑thousand United States dollars in full refunds and nine‑thousand‑five‑hundred United States dollars in concessions. At least twelve prospective clients declined to book events, representing approximately one‑hundred‑twenty‑thousand United States dollars in unrealised revenue.
After HCI Systems refused reimbursement, Global Brands Jam asserted causes of action for negligence, breach of contract, breach of implied warranty, and equitable indemnity.