Exploding Target Maker Tannerite Must Face Lawsuit Over Fire

Tannerite Sports LLC is unable to escape a lawsuit accusing the company of causing property damage when a fire was sparked by the use of one of its exploding rifle targets, a federal court in Montana said.

A group of property owners and a volunteer fire department may proceed with their claims of strict liability for manufacturing and design defect and failure to warn, even though they weren’t users or consumers of the product.

Although the Montana Supreme Court has so far only applied strict product liability when plaintiffs were users of the product, it would, “if confronted with the ...