Four people suffered injuries after a residential fire in the Norwood section of the Bronx the morning of Aug. 20. According to a report in Norwood News, the fire occurred at 3435 Dekalb Avenue between Kosuth Avenue and East 208th Street on the top floor of one of the structures, which makes up the three-building, multi-story residential complex. FDNY officials said the four-alarm fire was located on the sixth floor and in the cockloft, which is the space between the ceiling and the roof.
Ongoing Fire Investigation
Four people, including two civilians and two firefighters, were transported to area hospitals. Residents from all three buildings were evacuated. FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Paul Miller said their response to the fire was complicated by the fact that the building had “blown-in insulation,” which tends to hold in heat and smoke.
Consequently, firefighters spent more time locating where the fire was and residents weren’t aware of the fire until after it had been burning for a while. He said the department’s thermal imaging cameras were unable to pick up the level of heat behind the insulation system due to its thickness. In addition, two cars parked at fire hydrants delayed their response. Both vehicles were towed and summonses were issued to the owners, Miller said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Some residents told Norwood News that they didn’t hear fire alarms go off and were only woken up by the smell of smoke or calls from neighbors. The Department of Housing, Preservation and Development (HPD) said while their records did not show smoke detector violations, several penalties and fines imposed by the Department of Buildings as well as HPD are pending. Those include violations involving broken elevators, boilers and other problems, Norwood News reports. Questions still remain about whether smoke alarms worked during this fire.
The Importance of Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms play a critical role in protecting New York City residents during residential fires. A fire can spread rapidly, producing smoke and toxic gases before flames become visible. A working smoke alarm can provide an early warning, giving occupants valuable time to escape, call 911 and alert others in the building. This warning can be especially important in apartment buildings, where smoke and fire may travel between rooms or units.
Property owners and property managers have a responsibility to ensure that smoke alarms are properly installed, maintained and tested regularly. Alarms should be placed in appropriate areas, including near sleeping areas and batteries should be replaced as recommended. Property owners and building managers also have responsibilities concerning fire safety and required smoke-alarm installations. When a fire causes injuries or deaths, questions may arise about whether required safety measures were in place and properly maintained.
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 very 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 a very 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 and we got $2,250,000 for another hot water burn victim 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 cases, negligence cases, motor vehicle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, trip-and-fall accidents, ceiling collapse cases, lead poisoning, paraplegia cases, quadriplegia 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.
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Source:https://www.norwoodnews.org/update-norwood-four-injured-in-dekalb-ave-fire-in-building-with-36k-penalties-due/