(Trends Wide) — Tenants and family members of victims of the Bronx fire that killed at least 17 people have filed a class action lawsuit against the current and former owners of the building where the fire occurred, according to court documents.
The class action lawsuit, filed Tuesday, seeks $2 billion in damages. The lawsuit against the building’s owners alleges that the defendants were negligent on several fronts, including “failing to make sure the front steel doors closed by themselves; failed to ensure that the smoke detectors in the subject premises and within each apartment in the subject premises were working; failed to provide adequate and legal heating, allowed alarms to go off all the time; it did not have an intercom system throughout the premises; did not have a sprinkler system; failed to ensure that the electrical lines and systems at the facilities in question were in good working order.”
The city and several entities also received notice of a separate class action lawsuit seeking $1 billion in damages for alleged negligence in adhering to building codes.
Civil attorney Robert Vilensky currently represents 22 people in the lawsuits and hopes more similar victims will follow suit.
One plaintiff named in the documents, Felix Martinez, is currently in critical condition at Jacobi Hospital on a ventilator with significant burns, Vilensky told Trends Wide. His wife Rosa Reyes, who is also listed as a plaintiff, and their son were able to leave the building and are not hospitalized, Vilensky said.
A relative of a tenant who died in the fire is also cited as a complainant, as well as some people who suffered smoke inhalation, among others.
In a statement to Trends Wide, New York City Law Department Press Secretary Nicholas Paolucci said, “This was a horrible tragedy and too many lives were lost. There is an active investigation into this tragic incident. We will review the complaint.”
Bronx Park Phase III Preservation LLC, which is named in the lawsuit, released a statement to Trends Wide Tuesday night. “We are devastated by this terrible tragedy and are fully cooperating with the Fire Department and other agencies as they continue to investigate,” they said.
Trends Wide has also reached out to the other named defendants for comment.
The victims of the fire
All 17 victims of the fire at a Bronx apartment building died of smoke inhalation, according to the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).
The manner of death was determined to be an accident, OCME director of public affairs Julie Bolcer said.
An electric heater caused a fire in a duplex unit, engulfing the 19-story apartment building with smoke.
Firefighters said the smoke was able to spread because the door to that apartment and the stairwell door to the 15th floor were left open, even though the doors were supposed to close automatically.
(Trends Wide) — Tenants and family members of victims of the Bronx fire that killed at least 17 people have filed a class action lawsuit against the current and former owners of the building where the fire occurred, according to court documents.
The class action lawsuit, filed Tuesday, seeks $2 billion in damages. The lawsuit against the building’s owners alleges that the defendants were negligent on several fronts, including “failing to make sure the front steel doors closed by themselves; failed to ensure that the smoke detectors in the subject premises and within each apartment in the subject premises were working; failed to provide adequate and legal heating, allowed alarms to go off all the time; it did not have an intercom system throughout the premises; did not have a sprinkler system; failed to ensure that the electrical lines and systems at the facilities in question were in good working order.”
The city and several entities also received notice of a separate class action lawsuit seeking $1 billion in damages for alleged negligence in adhering to building codes.
Civil attorney Robert Vilensky currently represents 22 people in the lawsuits and hopes more similar victims will follow suit.
One plaintiff named in the documents, Felix Martinez, is currently in critical condition at Jacobi Hospital on a ventilator with significant burns, Vilensky told Trends Wide. His wife Rosa Reyes, who is also listed as a plaintiff, and their son were able to leave the building and are not hospitalized, Vilensky said.
A relative of a tenant who died in the fire is also cited as a complainant, as well as some people who suffered smoke inhalation, among others.
In a statement to Trends Wide, New York City Law Department Press Secretary Nicholas Paolucci said, “This was a horrible tragedy and too many lives were lost. There is an active investigation into this tragic incident. We will review the complaint.”
Bronx Park Phase III Preservation LLC, which is named in the lawsuit, released a statement to Trends Wide Tuesday night. “We are devastated by this terrible tragedy and are fully cooperating with the Fire Department and other agencies as they continue to investigate,” they said.
Trends Wide has also reached out to the other named defendants for comment.
The victims of the fire
All 17 victims of the fire at a Bronx apartment building died of smoke inhalation, according to the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).
The manner of death was determined to be an accident, OCME director of public affairs Julie Bolcer said.
An electric heater caused a fire in a duplex unit, engulfing the 19-story apartment building with smoke.
Firefighters said the smoke was able to spread because the door to that apartment and the stairwell door to the 15th floor were left open, even though the doors were supposed to close automatically.