9 people were seriously injured in a massive apartment fire in Brooklyn late last month. The blaze ripped through a multi-unit apartment in Ebbets Field Apartments in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens on December 26th. The fire started on the 12th floor and quickly spread until four rooms in the single-family apartment were fully engulfed.
Firefighters responding to the apartment fire say conditions inside the unit were terrible, citing clutter that created fuel for the flames and dangerous hazards for those trying to escape. The situation was worsened when the residents of the unit left their door open, allowing toxic smoke into the hallways. That smoke filtered down multiple stories and forced a complete evacuation of the apartment building. Fortunately, the flames were contained to that single apartment.
The cause of this latest apartment fire in Brooklyn is under investigation. If poor maintenance, disrepair or shoddy repairs of the building or improper installation of electrical or plumbing/heating equipment is found to have caused or contributed to the blaze, the building owner could be held responsible. Such cases often involve poorly done electrical work, illegal gas piping, or installation of unsafe or defective equipment and appliances. If it is found that the building owner failed to maintain or install proper fire alarms in each apartment and hallways, the building owner can be held be liable as well.
It is not uncommon to find that building owners who suffer such losses have a history of violations and complaints. An experienced attorney knows where and how to investigate both the building’s and owner’s history to help build a case.
Similar cases have resulted in at-fault parties being ordered to compensate injured individuals for pain and suffering, unpaid medical expenses, lost wages (present and leading into the future) and lost property.
If you have been injured in a fire caused by the improper maintenance of your apartment building or other negligent actions by your landlord, contact an expert apartment fire lawyer in New York City. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 without any further delay.