Firefighters rescued multiple people during a three-alarm fire in Brooklyn the night of Feb. 20, which left five victims hospitalized. According to an AMNY.com news report, the fire ignited inside 3322 Church Avenue, a storefront with several apartments above in East Flatbush. The first firefighters to arrive on the scene encountered heavy fire inside a third-floor apartment that briefly extended through the roof, the report stated.
One eyewitness said they stepped out of the apartment to go to the store and upon returning saw bright orange flames shooting from the roof and ceiling. Firefighters used an aggressive interior attack to knock down the main fire. All five residents injured in the fire were transported to local hospitals and are said to be in stable condition. FDNY marshals are now investigating the cause of this fire. We wish those injured the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Property Owner and Property Manager’s Responsibilities
In an apartment fire, a property owner and property manager can be legally liable if the fire was caused by their negligence (carelessness) or failure to maintain a safe premises. Under premises liability law, property owners and/or managers have a duty to keep rental properties reasonably safe and to comply with local building and fire codes.
These parties can be held responsible if the fire resulted from faulty wiring, lack of smoke detectors, blocked fire exits, defective heating systems, etc. or because of the failure to repair known hazards. They are also typically required to ensure working fire alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, sprinkler systems (where mandated) and accessible escape routes. If a property owner/manager knew, or should have known, about a dangerous condition and failed to correct it, they may be held liable for the resulting injuries, deaths or property damage.
Property owners/managers share liability for maintenance, inspections or safety compliance, etc. A management company, for example, that ignored tenant complaints about electrical issues, failed to conduct routine inspections or violated fire safety regulations, can be held liable.
Common Injuries in Fires
Residential fires often cause severe and life-threatening injuries due to intense heat, toxic smoke and structural collapse. One of the most common injuries is burns, which range from first-degree (superficial) to third- or fourth-degree burns that destroy deep tissue and may require skin grafts or surgery. Smoke inhalation is another leading cause of injury and death. Breathing in toxic gases such as carbon monoxide can lead to lung damage, respiratory failure, brain injury or unconsciousness within minutes. Many victims suffer more harm from smoke than from flames.
Victims may also suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning, which deprives the body of oxygen and can cause confusion, organ damage or death. Other common injuries include broken bones from jumping out of windows or falling debris, head injuries and lacerations. Emotional trauma is also significant. Survivors frequently develop anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a fire.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Whether you have been living as a tenant at a private apartment complex or in a public housing unit (NYCHA) (the Projects), please remember that you have legal rights. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of dangerous conditions, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys with 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. It is in the best interest of injured victims and their families in such cases to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer before contacting the people responsible for the injuries, and definitely before contacting or communicating with any insurance company, or their lawyers, investigators, or adjusters.
For over 54 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of assisting injured victims. One of our clients — a hot water burn victim — secured $750,000 in damages from the property owner and manager. Our firm also obtained a $985,000 settlement out of a $1 million insurance policy for two people who suffered smoke inhalation injuries because the homeowner did not have smoke detectors installed and the $15,000 that was left on the insurance policy was for a person that we did not represent. Another of our clients recovered $2,500,000 due to a faulty space heater. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
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, lead poisoning, paraplegia cases and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy 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
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