An afternoon apartment fire in New York City injured three individuals-one seriously. On April 18th a fire broke out inside one of the units on the sixth floor of an apartment building located at 145 Lincoln Avenue. The call came in to FDNY dispatchers at 2:23 PM after residents in the building reported the blaze. Most were able to flee. At least one was trapped by the flames.
When firefighters arrived they found the unit engulfed in flames and spewing black smoke. One of the victims was hanging from a window, covered in soot, and fading in and out of consciousness. Two firefighters were able to use a ladder to get the unidentified victim down. Their injuries were severe and an ambulance rushed the victim to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The remaining firefighters stayed on the scene for over an hour trying to get the fire under control. An investigation into the cause of the New York apartment fire discovered that unsafe smoking practices ignited the blaze. The FDNY also reported via social media channels that there were no working smoke detectors in the apartment. Had the fire erupted at night while the residents of the unit were sleeping, the outcome could have been immeasurably more tragic.
As it is, the surviving victims could have a case against the building owner for failing to install and maintain properly working smoke detectors. Under these circumstances, an injurious apartment fire-even by accident-exposes a property or building owner to liability for injuries and damages. That means they could be financially responsible to pay for hospital/medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
If you’ve been injured in a fire in the city, contact a New York City apartment fire attorney today to get the help you need.