Lanter warehousing sues Gateway Cold Storage for food spoilage

Lanter Company, a warehousing and trucking company based in Kansas City that offers refrigerated transportation services throughout the Midwest filed suit against Gateway Cold Storage on Jan. 3 in Madison County Circuit Court.

According to the complaint, Gateway was storing food products as Lanter's bailee on Nov. 18, 2001, when the products became damaged due to exposure to anhydrous ammonia.

The food products that were damaged were owned by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and were being transported, stored and distributed pursuant to an agreement with Lanter and ISBE.

Lanter claims that under contract, it became liable for the damages and paid or incurred $104,949.86 in damages to ISBE.

Lanter claims Gateway negligently allowed ISBE owned food products to become exposed to or contaminated with anhydrous ammonia while in their possession, failed to maintain its warehouse and negligently operated a forklift thus causing a leak of ammonia.

Lanter is seeking a judgment for an amount in excess of $104,949.86, plus costs of the suit.

Plaintiff is represented by Ted Perryman and John Schaberg of Roberts, Perryman, Bomkamp & Meives in St. Louis.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Don Weber.

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