HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, MI -- A woman whose boyfriend started a huge apartment building fire while torching a squirrel is back on the hook for up to $2 million in damage, according to a state Court of Appeals ruling.

A Court of Appeals panel of judges on Tuesday, May 24 reversed an earlier ruling that limited Barbara Pellow's damages to $15,421.

Pellow's boyfriend in October 2012 was using a torch to burn the fur off a squirrel while on an apartment deck at Clearview Apartments in Holland Township. He planned to cook the squirrel.

The boyfriend left the torch burning next to a plant holder and came back to find the deck on fire.

The flames quickly spread and caused damage to 32 units in the building. An insurance company, Travelers Indemnity Company, paid more than $2 million in repair costs.

Related: Woman sued for $2 million after boyfriend torches squirrel on apartment deck, starts massive fire

Travelers sued Pellow to recover costs, but an Ottawa County Circuit Court judge said she could only be held liable for items such as heating and cooling equipment, as well as lost rent, because it was her boyfriend who caused the fire.

Pellow was the registered tenant, not her boyfriend.

But the Court of Appeals ruled the Ottawa County judge made the wrong decision.

The judges said the case is nothing more than a "breach of contract" case and she is not immune to "joint and several liability" because a guest caused the fire.



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Pellow voluntarily signed a lease agreement that calls for her to be held liable for fire and water damage caused by herself or any guest, according to the opinion.

The appeals court, in the opinion, ordered the Ottawa County judge to enter a judgment in the insurance company's favor and "determine the appropriate amount of damages" against Pellow.

E-mail John Tunison: jtunison@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/johntunison