Fazil Khan, 27, was killed in a deadly fire at a Harlem apartment building on Feb. 23, which officials say, was caused by a lithium-ion battery. According to a CBS news report, Khan, an Indian journalist, was killed, 17 victims were injured and dozens others were displaced by the raging fire, which forced dramatic rope rescues. Residents at the St. Nicholas Place apartment were forced to jump or use the fire escape. Some residents said they heard the fire alarm and ran out of their apartments after trying to gather whatever they could.
FDNY officials said 18 people were rescued and 12 were rushed to a local hospital. Khan succumbed to his injuries. Four victims remain in critical condition and had to be intubated, officials said. A full vacate order has been issued by the Department of Buildings and the Red Cross is helping displaced residents with temporary housing, CBS reports. We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Faizal Khan and wish the injured victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by this fire.
Lithium-Ion Battery Fires
Building inspectors, firefighters and city officials have been assessing the damage and cause of this fire over the weekend. Firefighters are also reminding New Yorkers about the importance of keeping doors closed during fires. According to FDNY, in 2023 alone, lithium-ion batteries caused 267 fires, 150 injuries and 18 deaths in the city. As of this week, there have been 24 lithium-ion battery fire investigations and eight injuries have occurred across the five boroughs just this year.
In September, New York City started enforcing e-bike battery certification at retailers, which requires any type of mobility device using lithium-ion batteries to meet compliance standards before being sold. In February, FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn urged lawmakers on Capitol Hill to pass legislation mandating safety standards for lithium-ion batteries. Flynn emphasized that there is no substitute for federal legislation to prevent these tragedies because without such a law, New York City cannot regulate devices coming in from surrounding areas.
Building Owners’ Responsibilities
New York City laws require many property owners and/or property managers to maintain spaces that are safe for tenants, visitors and guests. Property owners/managers may be required to provide, install and maintain smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in each unit. The devices should also be maintained and remain in good working order.
When a fire or accident at a building is caused by negligence (carelessness) or a lack of property maintenance, the property owners and/or property managers may be held liable for the injuries and loss of life that occurs. Injured victims or families of deceased victims can file a premises liability claim against the responsible parties including, but not limited to, the property owner, property manager, maintenance/repair company, etc.
Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost income and benefits, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones can seek compensation as well by filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
Protecting Your Rights
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 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. For over 53 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 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
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/deadly-harlem-apartment-fire-lithium-ion-battery/