Certainly, Passaic County homeowners do all they can to ensure that their homes are safe from fire, but sometimes accidents happen that are out of residents’ control. For example, defective kitchen appliances have been known to cause devastating fires, usually without any kind of warning. Indeed, a faulty product may have been the cause of a recent oven fire that took the life of a senior citizen in Middlesex County; however, authorities do not yet know for sure the cause of the accident.
On Dec. 12, an 87-year-old man died after contacting authorities about an oven fire in his Monroe Township home. When emergency responders arrived, they discovered the man’s house completely ablaze with fire, and the elderly victim was lifeless on the floor. Firefighters rushed him to the hospital, but at 10:52 a.m., he was pronounced dead.
Along with the help of several other fire departments, Monroe Township firefighters eventually doused the blaze. The local fire chief said that, when rescuers arrived, flames were emitting from the part of the home where the kitchen was located. The chief also said that the fire burned along roof of the house and that the home is no longer inhabitable. Police have said that an investigation is underway as to the cause of the accident.
Family members of individuals who have died as a result of defective products may have grounds for filing a wrongful death claim against the manufacturer of that product. If there is evidence that negligence caused or contributed to a fatal accident, New Jersey and federal laws provide individuals and families the right to seek compensation for any injuries, medical bills, or other pain and suffering that may have resulted because of a defective product. Although nothing can erase the grief of losing a loved one, families may achieve some sense of justice in holding negligent parties fully accountable for their actions.
Source: My Central Jersey, “Victim identified in Monroe fire,” Dec. 13, 2011
