Fourteen people were injured, including several children, in a three-alarm fire that broke out early in the morning on Oct. 16 at an apartment building in Borough Park, Brooklyn. According to a CBS New York news report, as the fire spread through the apartment building and burst through the roof, fire crews had two major concerns, a family that was stuck on the roof and a woman who was trapped in her burning apartment.
Injuries and Hazards in the Building
The fire reportedly started in the kitchen of an apartment. The ex-husband of the woman who was eventually rescued from that kitchen said she had suffered severe smoke inhalation injuries. She apparently was not able to get out because of metal bars that were blocking her window. Once firefighters gained access, they pulled her out through the front entrance. the victim remains in critical condition. Nine other tenants and a family with young children were treated for smoke inhalation.
Fire officials said there were two major hazards in the building, which had the potential to be deadly – the immovable gates on the windows and the sukkahs (a temporary hut constructed for the weeklong Jewish celebration of Sukkot) – which were blocking the front fire escape. Four firefighters were also treated for smoke inhalation. The Fire Marshal determined that the blaze was sparked by a malfunctioning gas heater. Firefighters also said they did not find any of the required working smoke detectors. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who was affected by this major fire.
NYC Fire Accidents
According to FDNY’s statistics, firefighters responded to about 1.7 million calls in the city in 2015. During that year, 59 people died in fires across the city. About 80 percent of fire deaths in 2015 took place in private homes or apartments where there were no working fire alarms, according to FDNY. Residential fires make up a significant percentage of the total number of structural fires nationwide.
U.S. fire departments, between 2009 and 2013, responded to an estimated average of 357,000 home structure fires each year. Nationwide, structural fires caused $10.3 billion in damages during 2015, according to the National Fire Protection Administration (NFPA). During the same year, there were about 95,000 apartment fires in which 405 people died and 3,025 were injured.
Premises Liability Issues
Based on this news report, it appears that in addition to other dangers, there were no working smoke detectors in the apartment complex where this fire had broken out. The New York City Housing Maintenance Code requires property owners, landlords and/or property managers to provide, install and maintain smoke detecting devices in each unit. The law also requires property owners and property managers to provide and install at least one approved carbon monoxide alarm in each dwelling unit.
The American Red Cross states that having a smoke alarm in your home may reduce the risk of death by 51 percent. Sprinklers and smoke detectors together reduce the risk of fire and smoke related fatalities by 82 percent. Property owners and property managers have a responsibility to make sure that their buildings have working smoke alarms and sprinklers. Smoke inhalation injuries can be far deadlier than burn injuries. Smoke detectors may prove to be life saving because they alert residents when there is a smoke or fire. The early warning allows them to leave the premises in a safe and timely manner.
When fire accidents are caused by negligent property maintenance, then the property owners and/or property managers may be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses that occur. Injured victims or families of deceased victims can file a premises liability lawsuit against the liable parties including, but not limited to, the landlord, property owner, property manager, etc. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
Compensation for Victims and Families
If you or a loved one has suffered burn injuries or smoke inhalation injuries in a fire, or if you have lost a loved one in a fire, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. Our firm recovered $985,000 out of a $1,000,000 policy in a fire accident case where injuries etc. were sustained because the homeowner did not have smoke detectors installed in an apartment. One of our clients recovered $2,500,000 due to a faulty space heater.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/10/16/borough-park-apartment-building-fire/