Eric Pavlack of Pavlack Law, LLC, filed a class action case on behalf of residents of the Deer Chase Apartments against the complex’s owner and management company on June 19. The case was filed in the Marion County Superior Court. It seeks damages for the devastating fire that occurred on June 10, which NFD officials estimated at more than $2.5 million.
While trying to put out the blaze, which destroyed 24 units, firefighters had low water pressure issues as nearby hydrants’ valves were restricted. Hydrant maintenance at Deer Chase is the responsibility of the housing complex.
Susan Smith, a longtime resident of the complex, filed a proposed class-action suit against Crestline Communities and Crestline Property Management claiming negligence.
“The fire engines arrived quickly and with what should have been ample time to contain and extinguish the fire. However, when they connected their hoses to hydrants that were owned by the apartment complex, the water pressure was almost non-existent,” the lawsuit reads. “The firefighters were forced to run their hoses nearly one mile, to hydrants outside of the complex, in order to obtain suitable water pressure. This delayed their efforts, and allowed the fire to spread out of control.”
The lawsuit seeks damages on behalf of other residents and Smith, whose car and other belongings were destroyed by the fire.
“Susan Smith watched helplessly as fire engines arrived at the scene well before her unit had caught fire. She wondered why the fire engines were not putting the fire out immediately upon their arrival, only to later learn that it was due to the lack of water pressure,” said Pavlack. “Since the fire, the apartment managers have made no efforts to help her in this difficult time, and have not offered to pay for her losses in any way.”
