Jun 26, 2014 in News Legal News

Legal News: Deadly Brampton fire claims life of a 10-year-old

[caption id="attachment_6277" align="alignright" width="300"] (Photo credit: Steven Depolo/Flickr)[/caption] Fire is used in our stoves to help us cook food or we use it to barbeque in the summer and while it's critical to our everyday lives, it's also dangerous when it escalates into a destructive inferno. Investigators continue to gather information and insight into the deadly Brampton inferno that claimed the life of the ten-year-old boy who was sleeping over at a friend's house, destroyed 18 town houses and left about 100 residents homeless on June 14. Those who knew him are mourning the loss of the grade four student. Fire investigators were able to pinpoint the start of the fire, which was in the kitchen of the two-storey home the ten-year-old boy was staying in. From there, flames quickly spread in both directions. But one question on some resident's minds is why the fire spread to all 18 townhouses. About 200 to 300 people were evacuated from the area during the blaze, which includes neighbours of the destroyed residents, but they were soon allowed to return. Those who were forced to evacuate are being cared for by the Canadian Red Cross and Salvation Army at the Gibson Recreation Centre. Peel Housing is also setting up those who have been affected with short- and long-term places to stay. Meanwhile, for anyone looking to donate or help, the city set up the Nicholas Gabriel/Ardglen Trust Fund in honour of the young boy's death. Stay safe by having the proper devices in place to alert you of fire, which includes checking your smoke alarm's batteries and checking whether you can hear it from every room in the house. If you live with a disabled person or a senior, you need to plan multiple escape routes with them that they can navigate independently. Also, having a fire extinguisher handy and easy to reach can help residents stop the issue before it spreads. The winter fire at the L'Isle Verte seniors' home in Quebec that took the lives of 32 seniors illustrated the shortcomings in fire safety with no automatic sprinklers at la R?sidence du Havre. But for residents whose houses were destroyed, they may be wondering who can they seek compensation from in this situation. Neinstein's Erik Joffe has covered this topic in a Law Times article that illustrates past legal cases in regards to fires. The personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers have been handling all types of injuries for over 40 years. We understand the impacts wrongful death can have on your life and we know how to help you. Call us at 416-920-4242. Set up a free consultation and come talk with us.