First responders were called out to a five-story Fort Lauderdale apartment building Thursday for reports about a fire.
The blaze broke out around 3:30 a.m. and one unit’s balcony appeared entirely engulfed by flames in online videos. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire in about 20 minutes, according to reporting from Channel 10 News.
No injuries were reported, however, officials told the media outlet that a resident and one cat were inside the unit. The resident was evacuated and the pet was rescue by firefighters and is doing “OK,” a spokesperson said.
The unit where the fire started had serious damage while neighboring units sustained smoke and water damage. Some of the building’s residents have been displaced as a result and are receiving help from the American Red Cross.
Additional details, including what may have started the fire, were not immediately available Friday. The incident remains under investigation.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a personal injury law firm with over 48 years of experience handling cases for injured clients and grieving family members. The firm has been on the national leading edge for practice areas such as cruise ship litigating, product liability, motor vehicle accidents and premises liability. In that time, our skilled attorneys have handled historic cases throughout the state, many of which have resulted in record verdicts and settlements secured on behalf of clients.
In Florida, where Leesfield & Partners has three statewide offices in Miami, Key West, and Orlando, fires are responsible for hundreds of deaths per year on average. In 2023, according to data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 201 Floridians died in fires across the state. The most common causes of accidental residential fires in the United States are related to electrical and appliance malfunctions, cooking fires, and fires related to heating appliances.
The firm has represented hundreds of clients who were injured as the result of fires and explosions. In addition to burn victims, the firm also litigates cases of carbon monoxide injuries. Leesfield & Partners was instrumental to advocating for the passage of carbon monoxide protections in Florida several years ago. The urgency for this legislation was made evident when a Leesfield & Partners case caught nationwide attention after a Key West hotel negligently mishandled repairs to their roof vent, causing multiple guests to be exposed to the colorless, odorless gas.
One case involving a woman who was exposed to carbon monoxide while at a foreign resort resulted in over $11 million in recovery.
In the case mentioned above regarding the Key West hotel, Leesfield & Partners obtained a confidential settlement for the family that was exposed to the toxic gas. The unsuspected family was slowly being poisoned by the carbon monoxide in the air. Luckily, they were able to call for emergency services before passing out from their exposure.
Carbon monoxide is extremely dangerous given that it can remain undetectable by humans until it is too late. Symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure can include dizziness, weakness and headaches. The gas binds to the hemoglobin in the blood, significantly decreasing the body’s ability to carry oxygen.
Previous Fire and Burn Cases
Previously, the firm handled a case involving newlyweds who were vacationing at a foreign resort on their honeymoon. During the couples’ stay, an improperly capped pipe caused an explosion at their vacation accommodation while they were still inside. Both husband and wife were horrifically burned and sustained multiple painful, life-threatening injuries. Tragically, the wife died as a result of this incident.
Leesfield & Partners secured a multi-million-dollar result for the husband in that case.
Over $2.9 million was secured for a family whose TV set caught fire at their condo, causing a dangerous blaze that claimed the life of their 13-year-old daughter. The father in that case was significantly burned while attempting to save his child.
Earlier this year, Trial Lawyer Eric Shane represented a man who was burned in an electrical incident.
Leesfield & Partners previously represented the family of a mother and her children who were trapped in a house when a fire broke out due to their landlord’s negligence. The fire was caused by a defective electrical outlet. Despite previously notifying their landlord about difficulty opening windows, the issue went unaddressed. On the day of the fire, the mother and children were unable to open the windows to escape the flames.
For a client who sustained significant burn injuries as the result of an accident at a construction site, Leesfield & Partners obtained an $862,000 recovery. In that case, hot tar spilled on our client from an open skylight. This case was handled by the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield.
“Adherence to OSHA regulations as well as state and county ordinances and statutes would have protected these burn victims from the excruciating pain and tissue loss resulting from hot tar being spilled on portions of their bodies,” said Mr. Leesfield.
A six-figure amount was recovered for a client who was at a medical facility for a procedure. While in the operating room, the medical staff negligently burned our client.
One fire case handled by the firm resulted in a $600,000 recovery.