This past Sunday over a dozen people lost their lives in the deadly fire that took place in the Bronx area of New York City, Originally it was announced that 19 people were deceased due to the fire, however, officials later provided an update and said that there were a total of 17 people who passed away. There were at least five dozen others that were injured due to the fire. Now two of the survivors have become the first ones to file a lawsuit following the fire.

According to ABC 7 New York, the two survivors, who are also a couple, is suing the building’s landlords. They say the landlords were aware of the “defective conditions” and failed to keep up with the conditions.

In the lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of Rosa Reyes and Felix Martinez, it states that they suffered serious injuries as a result of the fire. They are seeking $1 billion in damages from the owners of the building, as well as the managers.

The news outlet reports that in the lawsuit, the survivors also accused the landlords of failing to:

  • make sure the front doors of each apartment were self-closing
  • ensure that the smoke detectors at the subject premises and within each apartment at the subject premises were functioning
  • ensure that the fire escapes were in good working order
  • provide adequate and lawful heat
  • allow alarms to go off all the time
  • have an intercom system throughout the premises
  • have a sprinkler system
  • ensure that the electric lines and systems at the subject premises were in good working order

There was also a parallel filing made by the couple where they sued the city and alleged that the Department of Buildings paid “lip service to safety issues and fire issues and are responsible for the resulting injuries and deaths.”

The NYC Law Department and the Bronx Park Phase II Preservation, LLC responded to ABC 7 New York and expressed their heartbreak about the tragedy and acknowledged the ongoing investigation into the incident.

The NYC Law Department said, “There is an active investigation into this tragic incident. We’ll review the claim.” While the Bronx Park Phase II Preservation, LLC said they “are cooperating fully with the Fire Department and other agencies as they continue to investigate.”

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TSR STAFF: Jade Ashley @Jade_Ashley94

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