The family of one of three people killed last year in a fire at the Lyle Motel is suing the motel, its owners and the man accused of setting the fire, Roger Marshall.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court by the estate of John Meyer. It seeks an amount in excess of $25,000 from Marshall, the motel, owners Jerry Carey, David Carey and Rebecca Carey.

The lawsuit also seeks punitive damages, interest, costs and "all other relief that this court deems just and equitable."

In its lawsuit, the Meyer estate contends the owners of the motel "failed to provide adequate safety measures and failed to use ordinary care for second-floor occupants in the case of fire," thus contributing to Meyer's death.

The lawsuit also contends Marshall willfully and maliciously set fire to the building, and as a result Meyer suffered fatal injuries.

Meyer and two other people, Lolaetta Corbin Hicks and James Reed were killed in the early morning hours of Aug. 8 when a fire ripped through the second floor of a portion of the motel building. Marshall, 57, of 2101 N. Second St. Rear, was arrested a short time later.

Marshall remains in the Lawrence County Jail under a $3 million bond.

Rebecca Carey deferred comment to her husband, Jerry Carey, who declined to make a statement on the lawsuit.

The attorney for Marshall, David Roscoe, was not immediately available for comment.