An apartment fire in New York City sent two people to the hospital on Christmas Day. But rescuers say the individuals were lucky to get out alive. The fire, which was mostly contained to the top floors of the building (located at on 19th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan) was so intense that FDNY officials were worried the strong winds might spread it to neighboring structures.
It took hours to get the Manhattan apartment fire under control. When the smoke finally cleared, one firefighter and one resident were rushed to a nearby hospital with unspecified injuries. All tolled 9 families (comprised of 14 people) were temporarily displaced. One man had stepped outside to walk his dog shortly before the blaze erupted and, though he lost everything in the fire, was thankfully that he and his beloved pet were unharmed.
Residents of the building say there had been a problem with the gas supply prior to this apartment fire in Chelsea. Indeed, Department of Buildings records show that Con Ed had shut off the gas supply to all 22 of the units in the apartment building after a gas leak was reported two months ago. However, FDNY doesn’t suspect a gas leak responsible for this blaze.
Once the cause of the fire is determined, injured individuals and those who lost possessions in the fire can begin to put their lives back together. If the blaze was caused by negligence, disrepair, faulty wiring or sub- standard construction, these individuals have the right to hold at-fault parties (either property owners and/or their contractors) responsible for their injuries, lost wages and out-of-pocket expenses.
If you’ve been injured in a fire anywhere in the city, you need an experienced apartment fire attorney in New York City to help you recover every penny you deserve. Contact the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 today for your free consultation.