Three Killed, Several Injured in Four Separate Bronx Fires

Three people were killed and several other victims were injured in four separate fires over two days. According to a news report in The Wall Street Journal, the first incident occurred in a small home on Beach Avenue in Parkchester. A woman in her 60s was killed in that fire. Two other people, a 59-year-old man and 68-year-old woman, were critically injured as well. Officials believe a faulty space heater sparked that fire.
The second incident was reported on Guion Place, also in Parkchester. A 26-year-old man was found dead in an upstairs bedroom. The same day another fire ripped through a home on East 228th Street in Wakefield claiming the life of a 76-year-old man. A fourth fire occurred in a six-story apartment building on Prospect Avenue in Longwood. A child and a woman were seriously injured in that fire. Seventeen other victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries in that fire. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the individuals and families that were affected by these fires.

Residential Fire Statistics
According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), in 2014, there were 1,298,000 fires reported in the United States. These fires resulted in 3,275 fatalities and 15,775 injuries. Of the total number of fires that were reported in 2014, 494,000 were structural fires causing 2,860 deaths, 13,425 injuries and $9.8 billion in property damage. During the same year, U.S. fire departments responded to a fire every 24 seconds. One structural fire was reported every 64 seconds and one home structural fire was reported every 86 seconds. One person died as the result of a fire every two hours and 41 minutes and one person suffered fire-related injuries every 33 minutes in the U.S.
The NFPA states that appliances and cooking equipment such as heaters, washers, dryers, air conditioners and fans are the most common causes of residential fires. Electrical issues such as problems with wiring also cause a number of these fires. Other causes include candles, fires sparked by gas leaks, household products such as mattresses and bedding and fires caused by tobacco products.
Are Occupants Safe?
Any time there is a residential fire, it is important to look into what caused the fire and how it could have been prevented. Under New York City laws, every dwelling, whether it’s a home or an apartment unit, is required to have working smoke detectors, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. It is the landlord’s responsibility (property owner and/or property manager) to make sure that all these safety features are installed and working properly. A number of fatal fires in New York City occur because occupants of a dwelling don’t have working smoke detectors in their homes.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
When people suffer injuries or die because there are no fire alarm systems or working alarm systems in their home, the property owner and/or property manager can be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses caused. Injured victims or families of deceased victims can file what is known as a premises liability claim to seek compensation for the damages and losses they have sustained.
Property owners and/or property managers can also be held liable when faulty electrical wiring and poor maintenance related issues spark a fire. Property owners and/or property managers have a legal obligation to ensure that the premises are well maintained and are safe for tenants, guests and visitors. If a defective product such as a space heater or a faulty appliance caused the fire, then the manufacturer of the defective product can be held liable by filing a product liability claim.
Compensation for Injured Victims
Victims of fire accidents tend to suffer debilitating burn injuries and other injuries caused by smoke inhalation. They may need weeks or even months of treatment and rehabilitation. Burn injury victims often require costly skin graft surgery to repair scars. Many are left disfigured and disabled for life. Injured victims of fires can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. A family that has lost a loved one can seek compensation by filing a wrongful death claim as well.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Our law firm recovered $985,000 out of a $1,000,000 insurance policy for two victims of smoke inhalation.
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 in 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: http://www.wsj.com/articles/deadly-fires-rip-through-the-bronx-1454898257