The Legal Herald
Big Rapids, MI Apartment Building Fire Claims One Life. (Stock Photo: MurrayLegal.com)
Could the death from this apartment fire have been prevented and are justice and compensation available to the victim’s family. Read Our Legal Take below to find out what legal options are available.
Local News
An apartment fire in Big Rapids, MI early Tuesday morning, November 10, 2020, tragically claimed the life of one person.
As reported by UpNorthLive.com, “[t]he Big Rapids Department of Public Safety was called to the fire at 201 Sanborn Avenue in the early morning hours on Tuesday. When they arrived on the scene, heavy fire coming from the downstairs could be seen coming out of the windows to the apartment above.”
According to BigRapidsNews.com, “the building consisted of four separate apartments, and at the time crews arrived, three of the tenants were accounted for. The fourth tenant, a 58-year-old man, was found after the fire was suppressed in one of the bedrooms in the presumed apartment of origin. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency personnel.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Our Legal Take
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As the state fire marshal continues its 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 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 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 family’s 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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The Murray Law Firm has obtained over $100 million dollars for its Clients, and recently secured a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property.
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