A terrifying apartment fire in New York City left three people injured and several more homeless in late December. The blaze broke out at a high-rise apartment complex located at 133 West 90th Street in the Upper West Side around 6 in the morning on December 28th. More than 100 FDNY firefighters responded to the call, and it took them nearly an hour to bring the flames under control.
Two apartment residents and one firefighter were injured in the smoke and flames and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of injuries that were classified as minor. The residents were expected to make full recoveries, however, their homes were severely damaged by smoke and water during the ordeal. Those victims (and several more) found themselves temporarily homeless as the building itself was uninhabitable.
An investigation into the cause of the blaze determined that the fire started in a basement trash compactor and flames quickly spread to several floors of the apartment building. The actual cause of the blaze, however, has yet to be released.
If the investigation uncovers poorly maintained or improperly repaired or installed equipment or utilities in that basement compactor room, the landlord could be held liable for any of the injuries and personal property losses experienced by the victims. Victims can make a claim for personal injuries, unpaid medical and hospital expenses, lost time from work and the cost of temporary housing while their homes were repaired and cleaned along with their lost and damaged property.
In addition, the law requires that residential building be equipped with smoke alarms. If they didn’t work or were never installed, the property owner could be held liable on these grounds as well.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a blaze caused by a negligent property owner, contact an expert apartment fire lawyer in New York City today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel, PLLC at 800-7349338 or 212-385-1122 for your free consultation.