Fire Safety and Risk in Apartments

I’ve been concerned about the recent fires in the city. During the winter we all have the heaters running a little bit more and faulty wiring and other residential fire hazards are more likely to result in a fire.

We all know when you live in an apartment building you can’t control every fire risk. Whether it’s the caution your neighbors take in handling candles to the quality of an electrical repair. You also can’t control the maintenance of your apartment. In the best-case scenarios, landlords will maintain buildings to high standards, but what happens when they don’t? When the worst of circumstances happens and landlord action or inaction leads to a fire, what can you do to protect yourself before and after disaster?

Remember that the strongest cases for landlord neglect always start with tenants reporting any problems with the apartment. To make sure you’re better protected, always report problems in writing. Take photos, collect any text messages and keep detailed call records. You also need to keep a log of all repair visits, detailing any information the repair person provides to you verbally. Ask for the repair person’s phone number and a copy of the invoice.

Common forms of landlord neglect that lead to fires are:

• Building code violations
• No smoke detectors
• Broken smoke detectors
• No fire alarms
• Non-existent fire extinguishers
• Faulty electrical wiring
• Defective electrical outlets
• Overloaded or neglected electrical panels
• Old or faulty heating equipment
• Pest infestations
• Blocked, rusted, or no fire escapes

Remember that your first duty is to keep yourself and your family safe. If there’s a fire or other urgent safety risk, get out and stay of the building, alert others to the fire, and call the authorities. Make an insurance claim as soon as you can, and always feel free to call an attorney if you need help navigating the aftermath. We’re here to help.