A devastating apartment fire in Brooklyn late last month has been ruled accidental but investigators did discover the blaze was caused by an aftermarket modification made to an electric scooter owned by one of the residents. The fire broke out on the thirteenth floor of the Flushing Avenue apartment building on November 28th just after 4:30 in the afternoon. FDNY crews arrived to find the personal electric vehicle fully engulfed and flames spreading to the surrounding walls in a public hallway in the apartment building.
Firefighters struggled to knock the flames down and get the situation under control before anyone got hurt or the damage became to extensive. Once the fire was out (approximately half an hour), investigators began searching for the cause. They quickly discovered that the modified lithium ion battery powering the scooter had overheated and burst into flames.
Thankfully, the fire was noticed almost immediately by a resident. The hallway in which the scooter had been stored did not house a working smoke detector and the flames could have spread quickly if unnoticed.
While no one was injured in the Brooklyn apartment fire, there was significant damage to the public hallway and smoke tainted many of the apartments on the thirteenth floor.
The tenants can hold the scooter’s owner responsible for any losses. In addition, the owner of the apartment building may also be held liable. Landlords and property owners are responsible for installing the proper amount of smoke detectors in their buildings and maintaining them. They are responsible for keeping the smoke detectors in good working order.
If you’ve been injured in an apartment fire in the city, contact an expert New York City apartment fire attorney immediately. Proving your case, in order to recover the compensation you deserve for pain and suffering, damage to your belongings, medical bills and lost time from work (past, present and future), requires skill, expertise and experience. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-11122 to get the legal help you need now.