Kentucky Injury Lawyer Blog

Newport Fire Officials are reporting that a natural gas explosion started a fire that completely destroyed a home in northern Kentucky early Friday morning. Debri and various pieces of the home were scattered across the street and stuck in nearby trees. The only things left were the foundation and the chimney. The neighboring homes did not appear to have any damage.

Three people were in the house at the time of the fire, which broke out around 4:30 a.m. Two of them were taken to University Hospital in Cincinnati to be treated for injuries. One was listed in critical condition.

Bose Corporation, a company whose products are recognized as the gold standard in electronics, has issued a recall of its Dual-Voltage CineMate II Home Theater Speaker System. The specific models are the CineMate Series II and CineMate GS Series II with product ID nos. 051365, 051470 or 057971.

The concern is that the bass module can fail and ignite. More information on the recall can be found here.

A flash fire broke out where workers were repairing the damaged tracks caused by the train derailment that occurred earlier this week. A firefighter reported that the workers were using a cutting torch when "the arc flashed" and caused a spark that ignited butadiene vapors from one of the cars. Five workers were injured, but two suffered only minor injuries. The other three sustained severe second and third degree burns, leaving one in very critical condition, another in critical condition and the third in serious condition.

An evacuation was ordered for all those living within 1.2 miles of the fire. A "code red alert" was also issued to anyone within a 5 mile radius of the fire. This means that they were asked to stay inside their homes and businesses, close all windows and keep pets inside.

The fire is under control but is still burning as of this morning. Officials stated that the fire must burn itself out because putting water on the vapors could be dangerous and toxic to surrounding soil.

On September 12, 2012, an apartment fire at the Churchill Park Apartments located at 7218 Hill Park Way sent three to the hospital, including a Louisville Metro police officer and a one-month old baby. A resident of the apartment complex, JoAnn Simpson, said she heard a loud boom just before the fire broke out in a first-floor apartment.

Simpson and her husband were trapped inside their apartment until they were rescued by another resident, Tyler Dixon, and his friend, Eric Durbin. Durbin also hopped a fence to get a ladder to rescue another resident from her second-floor apartment.

The Louisville Metro police officer was the first to arrive on scene and suffered smoke inhalation while trying to warn residents of the apartment complex. The officer was transported to Baptist Hospital East, but his condition was not immediately known. The McMahan fire department was the lead agency fighting the fire and was assisted by firefighters from St. Matthews, Jeffersontown and Lyndon.

The one-month old baby was also taken to Baptist East Hospital as a precaution but appeared to be doing fine. One other person was taken to the hospital as a result of the fire.
The fire caused significant damage to several apartments and eight to ten families will be displaced due to the damage. Simpson stated that she and her husband “lost everything we had.”

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission ("CPSC") has issued numerous recalls for heaters that are used in the home. As we enter colder weather and start using these devices to heat our homes, consumers should be up-to-date and aware of any potential hazards that a recalled heater might pose.

A list of the the heaters, with model numbers and pictures, are listed at the CPSC's website here. Many of the heaters have been recalled in years past, but it is important to double-check the list if you use a similar product in your home. Many of the recalled models pose electrical and fire hazards so be sure to check and make sure your family is safe this winter.

Two people were killed Sunday by an apartment fire in the Portland neighborhood. The fire occurred on the 300 block of North 24th Street. Two dozen firefighters responded to the blaze and had it under control in about ten minutes. However, the firefighters found two persons dead inside the apartment. Reports indicate that the ceiling had collapsed in on the victims.

The bodies of two dead people have been found in a single story apartment in the Portland neighborhood of Louisville earlier this evening. The fire happened on the 300 block of North 24th street at about 6:25 p.m. Neighbors report that an elderly couple lived in the apartment, but the identities of the two bodies are not yet known. However, a neighbor who bravely attempted to enter the apartment and search for anyone inside told police that he had seen the elderly gentleman who lived in the apartment return home about ten minutes before the fire started. Leonard apparently risked his own life in an attempt to get into the building and saw what appeared to be a man burning on the floor, but was unable to save him.

Apartment fires, whether they are in single story units or massive, multi-story complexes often involve similar legal issues. This seems to be a sad outcome as it is usually easier for residents of one and even two story complexes to get to safety when compared to apartments with many more stories. However, every fire behaves differently and the size of the structure is only one of many factors to consider in determining the cause and preventability of fire deaths. To find out more about the legal issues involved in apartment complex fires see our earlier posts here, here and here. Attorney Brian D. Cook at Bahe Cook Canltey & Jones PLC would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the legal aspects of apartment fires.

LG Electronics, along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced a voluntary recall of 98,000 portable dehumidifiers due to a fire hazard. The recall, announced last week, will affect the Goldstar and Comfort-Aire models, UPI.com reports.

The dehumidifiers have power connectors that can short circuit. For fires involving the dehumidifiers have been reported. The recall affects Goldstar model nos. GHD30Y7 and DH305Y7 as well as Comfort-Aire model no. BHD-301-C. The various models were sold during 2007 and 2008 at Home Depot, Walmart, and Heat Controller Inc. stores.

Owners of the recalled products have been advised to stop using them and contact LG for a free repair. For more information, contact 877-220-0479.

If you or someone you know has suffered damage due to a dehumidifier-caused fire, you may want to discuss your case with a products liability attorney. To consult with Shawn Cantley about these issues: Shawn's Mail

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Whirlpool Corp. and Maytag Corp. of Newton, Iowa (or Maytag Corp. of Benton Harbor, Michigan) announced the voluntary recall of 1.7 million dishwashers sold in the United States from February 2006 through April 2010. The hazard has been identified as "an electrical failure in the dishwasher's heating element can pose a serious fire hazard."

The recall covers Maytag, Amana, Jenn-Air, Admiral, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag and Crosley brand dishwashers with plastic tubs and certain serial numbers. Click here for the CPSC's information regarding the recall, including specifics about serial numbers.

A company spokesperson said the company has already set aside $75 million to address claims from the recall.

Dangerous and defective products are responsible for many injuries and death nationwide. Our profession calls this area of law products liability. Consulting a lawyer experienced in handling these matters is usually easy. Most lawyers will provide a complimentary initial consultation to evaluate a claim or case and let the person know if they can help.

Please feel free to contact me directly for more information or to ask questions. Just click here, and it will take you to a page containing contact information.

The legal implications of the BP Gulf oil rig explosion and oil spill could be significant. Lawyers will have to navigate a confluence of several different laws in order to be successful.

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires that claims for property damage, environmental damage and loss of livelihood, but not personal injury claims, initially be brought with the responsible party for approval or denial, and the claimant must wait 90 days to do so. So, in this case, someone or some entity would have to submit their claim to BP, Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Transocean or Cameron International Corp. (click here to read about the potential responsible parties). The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 also limits damages from oil-spills at $75 million unless gross negligence, willful misconduct or a violation of federal construction or operating requirements can be proven.

Next, general maritime laws will apply in some cases. This also limits punitive damages and centers around the question of the seaworthiness of the vessel involved, which in this case is the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. These laws are something that not too many even experienced lawyers are familiar with on a regular basis.

If anyone has questions or feedback on this post, please feel free to contact me directly. I'd love to hear any thoughts you have. Just click here, and it will take you to a page containing contact information. We will continue to keep you updated as developments occur.