Barrington Plaza Apartment Building Fire: The Legal Issues

People across the country were aghast last week to see images of people trying to escape a Los Angeles high-rise fire. The blaze January 30th at the Barrington Plaza killed a 19-year-old resident. Dozens more were injured.

What are some of the legal issues in a building fire such as this?

Like many personal injury cases, injuries from fires often boil down to negligence. Was the building owner negligent in maintaining the property in a way that allowed the fire to start? Also, why did this particular building not have fire sprinklers to possibly extinguish the flames?

The City of Los Angeles doesn't require sprinklers in buildings built between 1943 and 1974. The Barrington Plaza was completed in 1963. This means the building is grandfathered in not requiring fire sprinklers.

The Barrington Plaza had a similar fire in 2013. Several plaintiffs have already filed suit against Douglas Emmett, the building owner, for last week's fire. The plaintiffs will likely use the 2013 fire as evidence that the building owner was negligent in allowing this recent fire to start.

We can all thank the heroes of the Los Angeles Fire Department who were able to save many people from the Barrington Plaza fire.

If you or someone you know were injured in a fire or other Los Angeles accident case, the Rabbi Lawyer is ready to assist, 24/6.