Fire Accidents

Each year, over 3,000 people die in fire-related accidents. More than five times as many—over 15,000—experience a personal injury as the result of a fire. Thousands more lose their homes, valuables and irreplaceable heirlooms.

While larger wild fires reap massive media attention and, in many cases, widespread community support for fire victims, a number of people who endure fire accidents are left to pick up the pieces on their own. Knowing how to prevent fires, as well as what to do after they occur, can help you keep your family safe and put your life together after a serious fire accident.

How to Prevent Fire Accidents

Because roughly 85 percent of all fire accidents occur in people's homes, learning what you can do to prevent or minimize fires is essential. Some of the ways you can prevent fires from starting include:

• avoiding overloading your sockets (Consider using surge protectors in areas where you plug in a number of items.)
• fixing or replacing any frayed wires
• keeping portable heaters at least 3 feet from anything flammable
• not storing flammable items next to cooking areas or anywhere else where there may be an open flame
• sufficiently putting out any matches, cigarettes or kindling after you are through with them
• using screens on fireplaces (to prevent sparks from escaping)

To minimize a fire outbreak and/or keep your family safe during a fire:

• Create a family emergency plan that includes where to meet in case individual members get separated.
• If a fire gets out of control, call the police immediately.
• Keep a working fire extinguisher in your home and check it regularly.
• Smolder grease fires and NEVER use water to try to put them out (as water only feeds the flames).

What to Do After Fire Accidents

Once the fire has been put out, you will need to assess the fire's precise cause and level of damage. The unpredictable, volatile nature of fires means that anything from minimal smoke damage to a total loss of your home may result from a fire accident.

If you have fire insurance, call your insurance company and file your claim. As long as your policy covers the cause of the fire, you will be compensated for your loss.

Another important thing for some to do after a fire accident in Massachusetts is to seek out the aide of a Massachusetts personal injury lawyer. This is a particularly good idea if you have just endured a fire accident that was caused by someone or something else. You may be entitled to monetary compensation if:

• a faulty or malfunctioning appliance caused the fire
• another person's negligence directly caused the fire
• anything (such as security bars or locked doors) blocked your escape during the fire
• smoke detectors failed to alert you that a fire broke out
• your building's owners failed to provide you with an adequate escape route

Talking to a lawyer after a fire accident can help you learn your rights and inform you of any compensation you may be entitled to as a result of your loss. Our attorneys offer free consultations for fire victims who want to learn more about what they are entitled to after a fire. Contact us today.

175 Central Street
Suite 215
Lowell, MA 01852

Tel: 800-483-9219