A 74-year-old woman was killed after a fire erupted in her Upper East Side apartment the afternoon of Nov. 12. According to a report in the New York Daily News, the victim was rescued from her apartment on First Avenue and East 81st Street after firefighters and EMS personnel arrived at the scene of the fire. A resident on the building’s fifth floor told the Daily News that firefighters pulled the woman out of the apartment that was emitting white smoke.
Paramedics rushed the woman to Weill Cornell Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Four others people in the apartment and three firefighters also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to Weill Cornell, according to FDNY. Fire marshals are looking into the cause of this fatal fire. We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of the deceased woman, who was reportedly a beloved member of the community and long-time neighbor.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in 2023, local fire departments responded to an estimated 1.39 million fires nationwide. These fires caused an estimated 3,670 civilian fire deaths and 13,350 reported civilian fire injuries with the property damage from these incidents adding up to an estimated $23 billion. On average, a fire department responded to a fire somewhere in the U.S. every 23 seconds in 2023. A home structure fire was reported every 95 seconds, while a home fire death occurred every three hours, and a home fire injury occurred every 52 minutes.
Structural fires can cause a wide range of serious injuries due to extreme heat, toxic smoke and rapidly changing conditions. Burns are the most common, ranging from superficial first-degree burns to deep third-degree burns that damage skin, muscle and even bone. Smoke inhalation injuries occur when victims breathe in hot gases, smoke or toxic chemicals, leading to airway swelling, respiratory distress or long-term lung damage. Falling debris, collapsing structures, and explosions may cause blunt-force trauma, fractures and lacerations to civilians as well firefighters who respond to the incident.
Property owners and managers carry significant legal responsibilities when it comes to fire safety in residential buildings. Their primary duty is to provide tenants with a safe living environment that complies with local building and fire codes. Property owners and managers may have a legal responsibility to install and maintain smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems. Regular inspections of electrical systems, heating equipment and common areas are critical to reducing fire risks. Failure to install and/or maintain these systems can be considered negligence (carelessness).
Property owners/managers are also responsible for ensuring safe and accessible exits. Hallways, stairwells and fire escapes must remain clear of obstructions, and emergency exit signs must be illuminated and visible. In an emergency, tenants must be able to evacuate quickly and safely. Another key obligation is communication and education. Property owners/managers should inform tenants about fire safety procedures, evacuation plans and proper use of appliances or building facilities. Posting fire safety notices in common areas can further help preparedness.
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.
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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/11/12/woman-dies-apartment-fire-upper-east-side/