A fire spread through an apartment building in the Bronx the morning of March 26, killing one resident, injuring four firefighters and leaving about 50 people without a home. According to a WABC news report, the fire broke out inside the building on East 184th Street in the Belmont section. The flames quickly engulfed the building’s top floor and could be seen shooting through the roof. A section of the parapet fell to the ground while still on fire, WABC reports.
Injuries and Investigation
One person, who lived in the apartment where the fire started, died and four firefighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries. More than 50 people were forced to leave everything behind as they were evacuated from the building. Two residents were also injured while escaping as molten hot tar landed on a woman and her 1-year-old child. Both were treated for burns at a nearby hospital.
Residents told WABC that they have complained many times over the years about different safety issues at that building. In 2021, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) issued a violation for deteriorating sections of the roof. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Property Owners and Managers: Responsibilities and Liability Issues
New York City property owners/managers can bear significant legal liability for safety violations, especially those that lead to structural fires and cause fatalities and injuries. Building owners/managers have a duty to maintain buildings and comply with housing and fire codes. They must also ensure that proper electrical systems and safe heating equipment are in place as well as providing clear egress routes and functional smoke detectors. When violations are ignored or left uncorrected, the risk of fire increases substantially.
Property owners/managers may be found responsible if they neglect routine inspections and maintenance. They can also be held liable for failing to address known hazards or failing to take reasonable steps and remedy them in a timely manner. An injured victim in such cases can file a premises liability lawsuit.
Potential for Serious Injuries
Fires caused by negligence (carelessness) on the part of a property owner or manager, can lead to a range of serious and sometimes permanent injuries. The most common are burns, which may vary from minor first-degree burns to severe third-degree burns that may damage deeper tissues and require extensive medical treatment, including skin grafts. Victims may also suffer from smoke inhalation, which can damage the lungs and cause breathing difficulties, long-term respiratory conditions or even death.
Toxic exposure is another major risk, as fires often release harmful gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling these substances can cause dizziness, confusion, organ damage or loss of consciousness. Additionally, victims may experience physical trauma, including broken bones, head injuries or spinal cord damage from falls, collapsing structures or chaotic evacuation conditions. The family of a deceased victim in such cases can file a wrongful death lawsuit.
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.
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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: https://abc7ny.com/post/firefighters-battle-3-alarm-fire-belmont-bronx-apartment-building/18777817/