Several families had to be evacuated after a three-story residence on Jackson Avenue in the Bronx caught fire Monday

The fire, which started around 10:45 a.m., was so intense firefighters were not able to get inside the building and fight the flames until quite some time had passed and the fire had worn itself out.

Neighbors in buildings around the residence had to be evacuated as well out of concern for their safety.

Now, some fires are accidents that could not be prevented. But some fires are accident that could have been prevented.

For instance, if a landlord knows that a residence's wiring is outdated and does not meet current building safety code and the landlord does not do anything about it, he or she could be liable in some way if the faulty wiring later leads to a fire.

It is a similar situation with other fire hazards, like flawed heating systems or accumulated flammable material that is not cleared away in a timely manner.

The reason we are mentioning this on a premises liability blog is that we want Bronx residents to know that just as they have certain duties they have to follow, property owners have a set of expectations to satisfy as well, and one of those expectations it that their property will be safe for people to use.

Source: The New York Post, "Bronx fire forces evacuation of several families in three-story building," Kirstan Conley, Dec. 17, 2012

  • Our Bronx law firm helps clients who have been hurt on someone else's property, among others. If you would like to gather more information, you are welcome to visit our Premises Liability page.