The Legal Herald
Robert McClellan, Brenda McClellan, Ronald Jasper Tragically Lose Lives in Coalport Apartment Carbon Monoxide Accident. (WeAreCentralPA.com)
Could the deaths of these Coalport apartment residents have been prevented and are justice and compensation available to the victims families? Read Our Legal Take below to find out what legal options are available.
Local News
Three people were found dead at an apartment in Coalport, PA on Saturday morning, January 30, 2021.
As reported by IndianaGazette.com, state police were called to “an apparent accident involving carbon monoxide in a second-story apartment at 1305 Main St. in Coalport.” Per the news report, “State police said a coal furnace at that address malfunctioned, causing carbon monoxide gas to leak into the apartment sometime overnight or early Saturday.”
WeAreCentralPA.com is reporting, “[w]hen the Glendale Volunteer Fire Department arrived at the scene they found the three people dead and the apartment on the main street filled with smoke and carbon monoxide.” The Assistant Chief reported “[c]arbon monoxide levels were over 800 parts per million which is very lethal.” According to the report, “State police identified the victims as 67-year-old Robert McClellan, 57-year-old Brenda McClellan, and 68-year-old Ronald Jasper.”
The investigation is ongoing.
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Our Legal Take
As the fire department continues its investigation, premises liability attorneys with The Murray Law Firm question whether a lack of emergency procedures and safety measures at the complex may have contributed to this incident.
- When was the last furnace and utility inspection performed?
- When were carbon monoxide detectors last inspected and updated?
- What safety measures, such as working carbon monoxide detectors and frequent utility inspections, were implemented by the apartment complex owner prior to this incident?
As details of this tragedy continue to emerge, The Murray Law Firm suggests that it is possible that the apartment complex owners or managers failed to undertake proper safety measures to protect those residents and guests legally on the premises. By law, the owner and management company of an apartment complex have a duty to protect residents 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 owner or management of the apartment complex be found at fault, the families of Robert McClellan, Brenda McClellan and Ronald Jasper may elect to hold the owner and management company civilly liable for their loss. Financial recovery for such claims could be substantial.
As insurance companies and unscrupulous property owners are often more 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 carbon monoxide 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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