Tuesday, May 28th, an explosion occurred in the 13-story Realty Tower building in Youngstown, killing one and leaving several others injured. Officials found a cut natural gas line in the basement of the building, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported it is not yet known if that played a role in causing the explosion. 

Tom Chapman, an NTSB board member, said in a news conference that the line was not supposed to have gas in it, but it was found to be pressurized. Chapman reported that the line came off of the main service line which led to the Realty Tower building but did not service it. 

The explosion blew out most of the ground floor, where a Chase Bank branch was located, killing an employee. The blast caused part of the ground floor to collapse into the basement and sent bricks, glass, and other debris in every direction. The upper levels of the building housed apartments. 

After the explosion, first responders were on location within minutes and began search and rescue efforts. There is video footage from the bodycam of a Mahoning County deputy helping firefighters lower a ladder into a hole where the ground floor had collapsed into the basement, to rescue a woman who was trapped. 

Unfortunately, a Chase Bank employee, 27-year-old Akil Drake, died in the explosion. Seven injured people were taken to Mercy Health Hospital in Youngstown on Tuesday. By Thursday, three had been released, three others were in stable condition, while one woman remained in critical condition. No further details have been released in regard to her name or injuries. 

The NTSB has dispatched pipeline and hazardous materials investigators to the scene to observe the damage. Chapman said that the NTSB team would remain on the scene for around a week and issue an initial report within 30 days. 

Potential Avenues of Legal Recourse for the Victims of the Youngstown Explosion and Their Families

In the aftermath of the deadly explosion at the Realty Tower building in Youngstown, several legal actions may be available to the victims and their families. 

“We are devastated to hear about the explosion that occurred this week in Ohio and the loss of life and injury it caused,” says Britt Strottman, attorney at Singleton Schreiber, “Our hearts go out to the families and victims affected. We hope that officials can swiftly determine the cause and make the area safe again for everyone. It is important that the victims and their families know that they may have legal recourse, and could consider reaching out to a personal injury attorney to learn more.” Attorney Britt Strottman represented San Bruno after a major gas explosion in 2010 and helped San Bruno with the NTSB investigation after that event and formally served as a Senior Assistant Attorney General at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. 

The specifics of the legal recourse available to victims and their families depend on the findings of the investigation and the determination of liability. Some potential actions may include:

• Wrongful Death Claim – against the utility company, contractors or third parties, or even the building owner or management company
• Personal Injury Claims – compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages from the negligent party
• Product Liability Claims – against manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors of the defective product if it contributed to the cause of the explosion

And more. If you have lost a loved one in an explosion, or been injured in one, contact the attorneys at Singleton Schreiber today by emailing info@singletonschreiber.com.

A San Diego apartment fire left two people injured. A fire broke out on Thursday, May 23, in a Clairemont Mesa apartment building. San Diego Fire Rescue reported that the blaze began around 12:30 pm on the 7700 block of Belden Street, located just west of I-805 and Linda Vista Road.

The city agency reported that firefighters had the blaze under control within 15 minutes of arriving at the building.

The two injured were not identified and it is unknown how serious the victim’s injuries were. According to the San Diego Fire Department (SDFD), paramedics took one victim to the hospital.

Common Causes of Apartment Fires

Apartment fires can result from a variety of factors, often stemming from negligence, faulty equipment, or unforeseen accidents. Understanding these common causes can help residents and property managers take proactive steps to prevent fires and ensure safety. Some of the most frequent causes of apartment fires include:

• Cooking Accidents – such as leaving cooking unattended, grease fires, stove and oven malfunctions
• Electrical Issues – such as faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, or the use of outdated or damaged electrical appliances
• Heating Equipment – such as space heaters being placed too close to flammable materials and malfunctioning furnaces
• Candles – such as leaving candles unattended or placing them near flammable objects
• Dryers – built-up lint in dryer vents or overheated dryers
• Faulty Smoke Alarms – missing or non-functional smoke alarms can cause delayed fire detection, causing fires to become worse than they should

“Our hearts go out to everyone who suffered as a result of this fire,” says Gerald Singleton, attorney at Singleton Schreiber, “Apartment building fires can cause many individuals to experience devastating loss. We’re thankful the SDFD was able to get to the fire quickly and knock it down swiftly. While we await word on the official cause of the fire, we think it is important that the victims and their families know they may have legal recourse and could consider reaching out to a personal injury attorney.”

Possible Avenues of Legal Recourse For Fire Victims

Depending on the circumstances of the fire and what officials determine to be the official cause, victims and residents of the building may have legal recourse. Potential avenues of legal recourse may include the following.

Personal Injury Claims

Injured parties may be able to file a personal injury claim if they believe the fire was caused by negligence. To establish a personal injury claim victims will need to prove:

• The property owner or another party owed the victims a duty of care
• This duty was breached through negligence (like failure to maintain fire alarms, electrical safety, etc)
• The breach of duty directly caused the victims’ injuries

Premises Liability Claims

If the fire was caused by hazardous conditions within the building that the landlord or property management could have and should have addressed, the victims may be able to file a premises liability claim. This would require proving:

• The landlord or property manager knew or should have known about the hazard
• They failed to take appropriate actions to remedy the hazard
• The failure caused the victims’ injuries

Product Liability

If a defective product (like an appliance or electrical wiring) caused the fire, victims could potentially pursue a product liability claim against the manufacturer or distributor of the defective item. This would involve proving:

• The product was defective
• The defect caused the fire
• The fire resulted in the victims’ injuries

If you have been injured by a fire in your apartment building, contact Singleton Schreiber today by calling (619) 771-3473  or emailing info@singletonschreiber.com.