Rylands v Fletcher cases

Transco v Stockport

D's water pipe supplying a block of flats burst and caused a landslip which damaged C's gas main. Although the claim ultimately failed, C had an interest in land as the owner of the affected gas main

Rylands v Fletcher

D had made a reservoir on his land as a water supply forhis mill. He was liable when the water escaped down disused mineshafts and caused flooding to a mine.

Giles v Walker

D ploughed up his field which then became self-sown withthistles that spread to a neighbouring land. Claim failed as thistles are natural.

Hale v Jennings

A chair from a fun fair ride flew off its moorings mid ride was dangerous.

Stannard v Gore

D ran a tyre fitting business and stored tyres that caught fire. Fire spread to C’s premises. CoA decided that in the light of Transco, D’s were not liable as tyres weren’t exceptionally dangerous. And the tires had not escaped.

LMS International

A fire started in D's factory that contained a large quantity of flammable material. It spread to C's adjoining property. D was liable, as it accumulated things that were a known fire risk. The storage was a non-natural use of the land.

Rickards v Lothian

Non-natural use was defined as “Some special use bringing with it increased danger to others and must not merely be the ordinary use of the land”

Cambridge Water

Spillages of solvents from D's factory seeped into the soil and contaminated the water from a spring owned by C. The Court held that bulk storage of chemicals was a non-natural use. (Although C's claim ultimately failed because the damage which occurred was not reasonably foreseeable.)

Read v Lyons

C was injured by an exploding shell while inspecting a munitions factory. The claim failed because she was still on D’s premises so there was no escape

Perry v Kendricks

D was not liable for the consequences of an explosion because it was caused by a 3rd party placing a lit match in the petrol tank of D's coaches

Nichols v Marsland

D was not liable when water escaped from an artificial lake after a prolonged and violent rainstorm.

Green v Chelsea Waterworks

D was not liable as D had a statutory duty to maintain a supply of water.

Peter v Prince of Wales Theatre

Ds were not liable for a flood caused to C's adjacent property when pipes in sprinklers burst, as the sprinkler system was installed for the benefit of both and C consented to the sprinkler system when he took on the lease.