Several People Injured in Washington Heights, Manhattan Fire at Apartment on Wadsworth Avenue
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, MANHATTAN (February 19, 2025) – Four people were injured in a Washington Heights, Manhattan apartment fire along Wadsworth Avenue.
New York City officials are saying that the blaze started around 12:40 AM on February 17. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene in order to put out the fire, which started on the third floor of the apartment.
There were two people who were treated at the scene and refused further medical treatment. At least one person was taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
A full investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing.
Liability for Manhattan Apartment Fires
Residential fires are extremely common across the United States. According to the National Fire Protection Association, “On average, a fire department responded to a fire somewhere in the US every 23 seconds in 2023. A home structure fire was reported every 95 seconds, while a home fire death occurred every three hours, and a home fire injury occurred every 52 minutes.” Apartment owners should take a number of measures in order to prevent fires.
- Apartment owners shouldn’t ensure that their buildings have working smoke detectors.
- Apartment owners should perform routine maintenance on all appliances and electrical systems.
- Apartment owners should abide by all aspects of the fire code.
Apartment owners have a legal obligation to take steps in order to prevent reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes taking steps to prevent fires. Even if a fire is unavoidable, buildings still need safety measures in order to alert residents and mitigate harm. When an apartment owner has actual or constructive notice that their building is in an unsafe condition, they must act. It is important that certain steps are taken after any apartment fire.
- The source of the fire should be determined.
- Maintenance records for the building should be reviewed.
- A thorough investigation should be conducted.
- An experienced premises liability attorney should be contacted.
Apartment fires are often highly preventable. Many of these fires in New York City are due to faulty lithium-ion batteries. These batteries can easily overheat while they are charging and explode. This can ignite nearby materials and lead to a larger blaze. Any person injured in a Manhattan apartment fire may be able to seek some measure of justice through a personal injury claim.
Investigating New York City Apartment Fires
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to all of the people injured in this Washington Heights apartment fire. It is our sincere hope that they’re able to make a full recovery. Any person that may have more information about the source of the fire should reach out to investigators.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Washington Heights apartment fire? Our team of premises liability attorneys is here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims get the support and resources that they are entitled to under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of assistance, we are here for you. You can contact us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
