Former worker trapped and rescued during 2015 flood at Houston Omni Hotel, lawyers say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- As a lawsuit against the Omni Hotel moves forward after the drowning of a worker during Hurricane Harvey, a former worker says he was trapped and rescued from the same place during the 2015 Memorial Day flood.

Attorneys representing Jill Renick's family located the former employee who said he had to be rescued from a flooded basement. The revelation adds more credence to the family's allegation that the Omni Hotel knew flooding was an issue.

Renick's attorneys have also added local elevator inspection companies to the lawsuit. They say the elevator that Renick took down should have never been operable if it wasn't up to code.

They also added it should have had a flood sensor on it.

"Since 2010, the Houston Building Code has required that elevators within the city that serve below the flood plain, they're required to have a sensor in the elevator hoistway that prevents the elevator from travelling into a flooded area and descending into water, exactly what happened to Ms. Renick," said John Spillane, attorney for Jill Renick's family.

The Omni did not respond to Eyewitness News' request for comment, but has answered the original lawsuit denying all allegations. The elevator inspection companies also have not responded.

READ MORE: Jill Renick's death inside Omni Houston Hotel during Harvey was 'easily preventable,' says lawyers

The family of a woman who drowned in the basement of the Omni Hotel during Hurricane Harvey has filed a suit stating her death was preventable.

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