Apartment Fire on 19th St. NE in Cedar Rapids, IA Tragically Claims One Life, Injures Three Others. (thegazette.com)
Could the death and injuries from this apartment fire have been prevented and are justice and compensation available to the victim’s family and injured victims? Read Our Legal Take below to find out what legal options are available.
Local News
An apartment fire in Cedar Rapids, IA Tuesday afternoon, Dec 5, 2023, tragically claimed one life and injured three other people.
As reported by CBS2iowa.com, “[c]rews were called to 19th Street and A Avenue around 2:30 Tuesday afternoon for reports of a fire. Multiple fire trucks were still on scene past 5 p.m.”
KCRG.com is reporting, “[r]esponders arrived to find multiple residents unable to escape their apartments on the second and third floors due to smoke in the hallways, requiring rescue through exterior windows. Four victims were treated for smoke and fire-related injuries. All were transported to area hospitals for further care.”
According to thegazette.com, “[o]ne person initially was described…as being critically injured, but later died.”
Fire inspectors continue to investigate the cause of the fire.
Our Legal Take
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As authorities continue their investigation, premises liability attorneys with The Murray Law Firm question whether a lack of fire safety measures at the complex may have contributed to this incident.
- What fire safety measures, such as working smoke detectors, fire sprinklers and emergency exits, were in place and working at the time of the fire?
- When was the last fire inspection performed on the property?
- Were any safety measures added after any previous inspections?
- Was the property owner aware of any inadequate fire safety measures present prior to the fire?
As details of this fire continue to emerge, The Murray Law Firm suggests that it is possible that the apartment complex failed to undertake proper safety measures to protect those residents and guests legally on the premises. Under certain State law, the owner and management company of an apartment complex have a duty to protect those on the property and to keep the premises safe. If the owner or manager fails in this duty, they may be held civilly liable for any injuries or wrongful deaths that occur as a consequence. Should the apartment complex be found at fault, the family of the deceased victim may elect to hold the owner and management company civilly liable for their loss and suffering.
As insurance companies and unscrupulous property owners are often concerned with limiting their financial exposure in these incidents, it is crucial that the family of the deceased victim retain an experienced premises liability firm as soon as possible to ensure all evidence, such as a faulty fire alarm or a poor evacuation plan, is preserved and the families best interests are protected. The Murray Law Firm has extensive experience in premises liability and apartment negligence cases, such as this, and we offer our legal expertise, if needed.
If anyone has information to share, or if anyone is seeking information regarding this incident, please contact us at 888.842.1616.
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- A $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property.
- Settlement in excess of $10 million dollars for a victim of gun violence at an apartment complex.
- Settlement in excess of $10 million dollars for a family who lost a loved one to gun violence at a commercial property.
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