California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A multi-house fire in Ventura, California, caused injures to four people and destroyed two homes. According to KEYT 3 News, the fire occurred at just before 1:00 a.m. The Ventura fire department received several calls about the house fires in Cabrillo Village in East Ventura, even Oxnard residents could see the smoke.
By the time firefighters arrived, two homes were largely consumed, and a third home had caught fire. Several cars near the homes also caught fire. Because the blaze was so large, firefighters had to use large diameter hoses which are usually used in commercial structure fires.
The four victims of the fire were in the home that initially caught fire. The victims were immediately taken to the hospital—two victims were in critical condition, and the other two had moderate injuries. In addition to those injured, 15 people were displaced as a result of the fire. At this point, firefighters are not sure how the fire started and the fire will remain under investigation by the Ventura Fire department.
House fires can often be caused in a variety of ways including failed electrical systems, arson, candles, cooking equipment, or smoking. Each of these causes falls under a different type of tort law, which is the area of the law that covers civil wrongs. For example, if the cause of the fire was arson, that would be an intentional tort, because the fire was started by a person’s intentional actions (this would be separate from a criminal charge for arson). A second type of tort is negligence meaning the fire was caused by another person’s carelessness or inattention. Finally, if it was a faulty product that caused the fire, there may be a products liability claim, a third category of tort.
If the fire was caused by an intentional tort, negligence, or a faulty product, there may be a Ventura personal injury claim against the responsible party. Those injured in the fire should speak with a personal injury attorney who can look at the facts of the case and determine the proper claim to file. A personal injury claim can help those injured get financial compensation for their injuries. This compensation can help cover the costs of proper medical care, especially if there is a need for burn treatment which can be particularly traumatizing.
After this incident in Ventura, the Fire Department reminded the public to create and go-over exit drills in case of a fire at their homes. Firefighters say these exit drills are “vital to ensure families get out safely in the event of a fire.”
We encourage our readers to take these precautions to stay safe from fires. However, if you or someone you care about have been injured in a fire, you should contact the personal injury attorneys at Walch Law. Our personal injury law office has handled personal injury cases throughout California, including Ventura, for over 30 years. We work on fire injury and wrongful death cases and we offer a free consultation. Contact us today online or by phone at 866-465-8792.