Elba Nydia Lopez, 80, was killed in an apartment fire in Queens early morning of Dec. 18. According to a report in the New York Daily News, the fire broke out inside the woman’s first-floor apartment in a six-story brick building on 80th Street near 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights. Firefighters found Lopez fatally injured in the apartment as the fire was put out, FDNY said. Neighbors said Lopez had lived in the building for over three decades.
Ongoing Investigation Into Cause of the Fire
One neighbor, Harold Puente, told the Daily News that he was alerted to the blaze when heat from below caused his window to splinter and shatter. He said when he and his partner tried to get out of their apartment, they were surrounded by smoke and struggled to breathe. They managed to escape by crawling out of the building, he said, adding that the fire destroyed his apartment.
A firefighter and another resident were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries while two other residents were injured, but declined medical attention, officials said. FDNY fire marshals are looking into what caused the fatal fire. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Elba Nydia Lopez for their tragic loss.
String of Fires Involving Elderly Residents in New York City
The Queens fire is the latest in a string of 13 fires in the city since Nov. 9 that each killed an elderly resident. The oldest victim in the series of fires was 95 years of age, officials said. The causes of those fires included faulty electrical wiring, a faulty extension cord, a candle and a cooking mishap, the Daily News reports. On Dec. 12, an 83-year-old woman was killed as a fire ripped through her Upper West Side apartment.
In that case, a space heater was in the apartment, which might have started the blaze, officials said. FDNY officials are encouraging residents to go over escape plans with elderly relatives, friends and neighbors in case a fire breaks out in their homes. Fires tend to increase in cold weather months, FDNY officials said, pointing to this recent “heartbreaking spike” in fatal fires involving senior citizens.
Liability Issues in Fires
Depending on what caused the fire, a number of parties may be held legally responsible for the injuries, damages and losses caused by the incident. In such cases, a thorough evaluation is necessary to determine whether property owners, managers, utility companies or product manufacturers, etc. failed to meet safety standards. For example, a property owner/manager may be liable if they neglected to maintain smoke alarms, provide safe electrical systems or address known hazards. In some cases, builders or contractors may be held liable if faulty construction, inadequate firestopping or the improper installation of wiring contributed to the fire.
Manufacturers can also face liability if defective appliances, heaters or electrical components sparked the fire. Determining liability typically requires a thorough investigation, including examining fire reports, inspection records and witness statements. Determining liability in structural fires is often complex and requires the guidance and counsel of an experienced New York personal injury lawyer.
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 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
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com