A fire that broke out overnight at an efficiency apartment in Miami killed at least one person, according to police.
Emergency responders were called out to the house at 3056 SW 13th St. around 2 a.m., according to reporting from local news outlets. The efficiency where the body was found is located behind the home. A name or other identifying details have yet to be released as of Monday morning.
The property is meant for one, single-family unit, according to property records obtained by The Miami Herald. Neighbors told reporters from CBS Miami that they often see the unit rented out to different people, some with carry-ons and other small luggage, suggesting a short stay.
Police detained one person following the fire.
Past Cases
Leesfield & Partners attorneys have encountered numerous cases of fires, explosions and carbon monoxide exposure. In its 48 years of representing clients out of Key West, Central Florida Orlando and Miami, Leesfield & Partners has been known as a leading personal injury firm when it comes to carbon monoxide. The firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, played a key role in advocating for legislation that would outline rules and regulations for carbon monoxide detectors. In data from the Centers for Disease Control about accidental carbon monoxide exposure, it is estimated that nearly 400 people in the United States die as a result of accidentally being exposed to the odorless, colorless gas every year.
One case handled by the firm involved a family staying at a Key West hotel on vacation when they were exposed to carbon monoxide gas leaking from a damaged boiler room roof vent into their room. The family was able to call 911. The hotel later rented out that same room to a father and son who were exposed to the gas and had to call for emergency services. The case garnered the attention of nationwide outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.
A woman staying at a vacation resort was also exposed to carbon monoxide during her stay, Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured an $11,750,000 settlement.
Another case where clients were exposed to a toxic gas other than carbon monoxide involves that of several firefighters who breathed in toxic fumes for hours while in the line of duty helping road workers. Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured a large settlement amount for their clients in that case.
An explosion causing severe burns to a Leesfield & Partners client resulted in a $3,250,000 settlement.
A nightmare unfolded for one couple vacationing in the Dominican Republic on their honeymoon after an improperly capped pipe caused an explosion at their accommodation. Both suffered third-degree burns as a result and the wife later died from her injuries.
Leesfield & Partners attorneys were able to prove that the resort was negligent and breached their duty to care for their patrons including by not properly inspecting and repairing the cause of the explosion despite previous knowledge that there was an issue. The law firm was able to secure a multi-million dollar award for the husband in that case.
One family represented by the firm lost their daughter after a TV set caught fire in their home. The manufacturer of the defective television set was named as a defendant in the lawsuit along with the distributor of a defective smoke alarm and the family’s condominium association for safety violations. The father involved in this incident was burned over 30% of his body when he tried to rescue his 13-year-old daughter.
Attorneys with the firm secured $2,950,000 award for the family in that case.
Fire Safety Tips
- Have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home. Smoke alarms can alert you to a fire that may break out in your home and give you time to escape. These alarms should be checked once a month, according to the American Red Cross.
- Change your smoke alarm batteries regularly.
- Sleep with bedroom doors closed. Keeping bedroom doors closed can help deprive the flames of oxygen which the fire will need to spread and can keep you from breathing in smoke from the other side of your door.
- Develop a fire safety plan and discuss it with every member of your family so that they know what to do if a fire breaks out at your home. Every family member should know at least two unobstructed entries and exits from the home including exterior doors and windows. This plan should be practiced at least twice a year.
- Decide on a meeting place that everyone in the family knows about so that, if there is a fire, you know
- Keep a fire extinguisher in places like your kitchen and garage.
- If your clothes catch fire, do not panic or run. Stop where you are, drop to the ground and cover your face with your hands to begin rolling over and over to smother the flames.
- Smoke and hot air rise. If you’re ever in an emergency fire situation it may be best to crawl out to avoid breathing in the smoke. Keep your head 12 to 14 inches from the floor and crawl to the nearest exit.
- If you are ever in a fire emergency, get out and stay out of the house. Never go back inside for personal items or to try and save your home. Call for help immediately and stay back from the flames while you wait for first responders.