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Kentucky motel ordered to pay $2M after fatal scalding shower incident

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Kentucky motel ordered to pay M after fatal scalding shower incident







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A guest sustained burns from a shower at the Econo Lodge in Erlanger, Kentucky, according to a lawsuit.




(CNN) — A jury awarded $2 million to the estate of a man who died months after being “scalded and severely burned” by water from a shower in his Kentucky motel room, according to a lawsuit.

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Alex Chronis, then 76 years old, sustained third-degree burns on his body at the Econo Lodge in Erlanger, Kentucky, which ultimately resulted in his “untimely and wrongful death,” on June 19, 2022. according to the complaint filed by Chronis’ niece.

On November 19, 2021, Chronis attempted to take a shower but was “almost immediately bombarded with scalding hot water which knocked him to the floor of the shower tub where the water continued to scald him,” the complaint states.

Two associates of Chronis rushed to his aid after hearing his fall and screams, according to the complaint.

The shower delivered water at an “extremely excessive temperature,” the complaint stated. The temperature was more than 150 degrees, according to Chronis’ family attorney, N. Jeffrey Blankenship. Most adults will suffer third-degree burns if exposed to 150-degree water for two seconds, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Chronis, a food vendor visiting the Cincinnati region for work, initially used nonprescription medicine for his burns before working at a local festival, according to Blankenship. He went to a nearby hospital but left to return to work, Blankenship added.

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Two days later, Chronis returned to the hospital for skin graft surgery and remained hospitalized for nearly five months, according to the complaint.

In April 2022, Chronis was transferred to a rehabilitation facility in his hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee, Blankenship said. He spent months in the hospital after the incident, underwent numerous medical procedures, and endured “substantial conscious pain and suffering” before ultimately dying from his injuries on June 19, 2022, according to the complaint.

The jury found the motel owner, Sanjay Patel, “failed to exercise ordinary care in inspecting and maintaining their hotel rooms in a reasonably safe condition for the use of their guests,” according to the trial order and judgment.

According to the Kentucky Secretary of State’s website, Patel owns Aspyn, LLC, which operates the Econo Lodge in Erlanger, which was also named as a defendant in the suit.

The judgment, filed on July 3, awarded Chronis’ estate nearly $1.3 million to cover medical expenses, $250,000 for pain and suffering, more than $16,000 for funeral costs, and $500,000 in punitive damages.

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CNN has reached out to Patel’s attorney, Lindsay Rump, for comment.



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Kentucky

June unemployment rate shows slight increase in Kentucky Center for Statistics latest report

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June unemployment rate shows slight increase in Kentucky Center for Statistics latest report


Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary June 2026 unemployment rate was 4.7%, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics. The preliminary June 2026 jobless rate was up from the 4.5% reported in May and up 0.1 percentage points from one year ago. The U.S. seasonally adjusted jobless rate for June 2026 was 4.2%, which was down from…



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Saturated soil raises flooding risk across Kentucky after recent heavy rain

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Saturated soil raises flooding risk across Kentucky after recent heavy rain


LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Recent heavy rainfall has left soil across the state completely soaked, contributing to localized flooding in some areas.

When rain falls, some water soaks into the ground through a process called percolation.

Soil can only hold a limited amount of water. Once the small air spaces within the soil fill with water, the ground becomes saturated and additional rainfall has nowhere to go.

Soil type plays a role in how quickly water drains.

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Much of Kentucky has clay-heavy soil, which is made up of very small, flat particles packed tightly together.

That composition makes it harder for water to move through. In clay soil, water may drain at a rate of only 0.02 to 0.17 inches per hour.

When rainfall comes down faster than the ground can absorb it and water cannot drain into a stream or storm drain quickly enough, it begins to build up.

That buildup is what leads to localized flooding.

Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.

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Cyclosporiasis spreads across Kentucky

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Cyclosporiasis spreads across Kentucky


BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Cyclosporiasis is a microscopic parasite that can contaminate food and water — is making people sick across several states, including Kentucky.

Dr. Patricia Tellez-Watson said, the illness is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis and spreads when someone ingests contaminated food or water. “It is an intestinal infection caused by this water-borne, food-borne microscopic parasite,” she said.

Symptoms can include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Tellez-Watson said, cases are often sporadic, but outbreaks can happen — especially during hot, wet months, when the parasite can survive in the environment long enough to become infectious.

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Health experts recommend taking extra precautions with food and water. Washing hands and thoroughly rinsing produce before eating or cooking can reduce risk.

Watson also urged people to be cautious with fresh produce, particularly pre-packaged items, and to consider using bottled water.

Officials have confirmed cases in Bowling Green, though it’s unclear how many.

Copyright 2026 WBKO. All rights reserved.



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