Five people were injured in an early morning fire on Dec. 22 that ripped through an apartment building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. According to a CBS News report, the four-alarm fire started on the first floor of 494 Humbolt around 2 a.m. Two neighbors — identified as Bentley Robles and Ronan Counihan — acted quickly to alert neighbors and call 911 as they banged on doors to wake neighbors up, CBS reported.
Firefighters arrived within minutes, but the building, which was primarily made of wood, was a challenge, officials said, adding that they had to open up the walls, ceilings and floors manually. The blaze quickly spread to two neighboring buildings. Neighbors said it was a miracle that there were no fatalities involving people or pets. Three firefighters and two residents were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
NY Laws Concerning Smoke Detectors
While reports state that neighbors went around alerting residents of the building about this fire, it’s unclear if there were working smoke detectors and alarms in the building. In New York State, residential apartment buildings are required by law to have properly installed and maintained smoke detectors. State law and the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code require smoke alarms to be installed on every level of an apartment, outside sleeping areas and inside each bedroom. In newer construction and many renovations, smoke alarms must be hard-wired and interconnected, meaning when one alarm sounds, all alarms in the unit activate.
In New York City, additional and more specific requirements apply to residential apartment buildings. Building owners/managers are responsible for providing and installing at least one approved, operational smoke detector in each apartment, as well as ensuring that detectors are installed in required locations. Owners must also replace defective detectors. NYC law also requires compliance with updated safety standards that align with HUD and fire code rules, particularly in multiple dwellings. These laws are in place to ensure early fire detection and reduce injuries and fatalities in residential buildings. Smoke detectors and smoke alarms play a critical role in fires by warning residents so they can get to safety before the fire spreads.
In New York City, liability for building fires depends on the cause of the fire and whether legal responsibilities were met. Property owners and property managers are often liable if a fire occurs as a result of unsafe conditions for which they were responsible such as faulty wiring, blocked exits, lack of required smoke detectors or failure to follow fire and building codes. Owners and managers have a legal duty to maintain buildings in a reasonably safe condition and to correct known hazards. In some cases, contractors or manufacturers may share liability if defective work, poor maintenance or faulty equipment caused the 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 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