(1) All corporations, companies, or persons engaged in operating any railroad wholly or partly in this state shall be liable for the destruction of, or injury to, any real or personal property, which may be caused by fire resulting from the negligence of the corporations, companies, or persons or resulting from the negligent operation of any locomotive, engine, machinery, train, car, or other thing used upon the railroad or resulting from, or caused by, the negligence of any employee, agent, or servant of the corporation, company, or person in the discharge of his or her duty as such upon or in the operation of the railroad.
(2) The owner of any real or personal property which is destroyed or injured in the manner set forth in subsection (a) of this section may recover all such damage to the property by suit in any court, in the county where the damage occurred, having jurisdiction of the amount of the damage.