Florida Man Dies in House Fire

A man from Florida died on Christmas morning after the home he was staying at in South Carolina burned down. The coroner for Sumner county said that the man from Port Orange, Florida was the only person home when the home in Pinewood caught fire. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and an autopsy is pending.

House fires create chaos for hundreds of people and cause damage to multiple homes every year. The fires that cause these disasters start in a variety of ways. Although most of them are accidental, some are caused on purpose. Regardless of the cause, a house fire can result in serious injuries, and sometimes even death.

Accidental Fires

Many house fires are purely accidental. They occur when cooking when a person forgets to turn off the oven or stove or when cooking greasy foods. They occur when an appliance has short-circuited or overheated, or when a smoker is careless with their cigarette butts. Fires can also result due to natural causes such as lightning strikes.

Experts look at the patterns on walls and objects in the burned home to determine how the fire started. Most fires are due to the fault of the homeowner, but you may still be able to file an insurance claim when this happens. If you are a tenant that caused the fire, you could be sued by your landlord if you caused the fire due to your negligence.

Fires Resulting from Arson

Not all home fires are caused by accident. Some are done purposely to cause harm to another person or their property. A person that is charged with arson may face significant criminal penalties but could also face a civil lawsuit filed by the victim and be forced to pay restitution for the damages they caused.

Defective Products That Cause House Fires

Some fires are caused due to defective appliances and tools, or when toxic chemicals or gas leak from a defective container. A defective part on a car can result in a garage fire, and a faulty smoke detector can result in a fire that spreads quickly.

Products that are dangerous or defective fall under product liability laws. If a defective product caused your home to catch on fire and you suffered damages to your home or injuries to you or your family, you may be entitled to sue the manufacturer for producing a faulty product.

Were You the Victim of a House Fire That Wasn’t Due to Your Own Negligence?

House fires can spread fast and damage your home and result in injuries to you and your family. If another party was negligent and their actions resulted in a fire at your home, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your damages. Injuries in a house fire can include burns, chemical exposure, and smoke inhalation.

If you have been the victim of a house fire, you need to act quickly to protect your rights. The Florida attorneys at Leifer & Ramirez can ensure that your rights are protected. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Resource:

usnews.com/news/best-states/florida/articles/2018-12-26/florida-man-dies-in-south-carolina-christmas-day-fire