When a property’s safety systems fail, people pay the price. We hold owners, managers, and contractors accountable.
A fire or explosion is devastating on its own. But when the harm is made worse by broken safety systems, blocked exits, missing alarms, or ignored inspection warnings, the tragedy is often preventable.
McEldrew Purtell represents people nationwide who suffer catastrophic injury or families facing wrongful death when building code and life-safety failures contribute to a fire or explosion. We dig into what should have protected you, who was responsible for maintaining it, and why it didn’t work when it mattered most.
If you suspect alarms didn’t sound, sprinklers didn’t activate, exits were unsafe, or the building wasn’t up to code, we can help you get answers.
How Much Is Your Case Worth?
Building Safety Failures That Can Turn Emergencies Into Catastrophes
Building codes and life-safety standards exist to prevent fires, slow their spread, and get people out safely. When owners or responsible parties cut corners, the results can be deadly.
We investigate cases involving:
- Non-functioning or disabled fire alarms (missing devices, dead batteries, improper placement, panel issues, nuisance alarms ignored)
- Sprinkler system failures (valves shut, poor maintenance, inadequate coverage, low pressure, frozen lines)
- Blocked, locked, or poorly marked exits (chained doors, obstructed stairwells, missing exit signs, inadequate emergency lighting)
- Fire doors and compartmentation failures (propped-open fire doors, damaged seals, improper rated assemblies)
- Smoke control and ventilation defects (failed smoke dampers, poor pressurization, HVAC spreading smoke)
- Electrical and wiring hazards (overloaded circuits, improper repairs, unsafe panels, code-violating installations)
- Improper storage of flammables or combustibles (fuel sources near ignition, unsafe utility areas, unprotected mechanical rooms)
- Negligent inspections and maintenance (ignored violations, falsified checklists, delayed repairs)
- Inadequate staffing or emergency planning (missing training, poor evacuation procedures, failure to address known hazards)
Where These Failures Commonly Occur
Building code and safety breakdowns can happen in any setting, but we often see serious cases involving:
- Apartment buildings and multi-family housing
- Hotels, motels, and short-term rentals
- Nursing homes and assisted living facilities
- Student housing and dormitories
- Warehouses and industrial facilities
- Restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues
- Offices and mixed-use properties
- Construction and renovation sites
Who may be responsible
Liability in building safety cases is rarely limited to one person or company. Our investigations may involve:
- Property owners and landlords
- Property management companies
- Maintenance contractors and alarm/sprinkler service vendors
- General contractors and subcontractors
- Electricians and installers
- Product manufacturers (alarms, panels, suppression components, wiring, appliances)
- Architects/engineers (design and compliance issues)
- Security companies (locked exits, access control failures)
- Municipal entities or inspectors (in limited circumstances and subject to special rules)
We focus on identifying every responsible party and building a case that connects the safety failure to the injuries and losses.
What We Look For
In serious fire and explosion cases, critical evidence can disappear fast; repairs get made, systems get reset, debris is cleared, and digital records can be overwritten. Early action matters.
Our team works to secure and analyze evidence such as:
- Fire alarm panel data, logs, and monitoring records
- Sprinkler inspection, testing, and maintenance documents
- Work orders, vendor contracts, and repair histories
- Prior code violations, inspection reports, and notices
- Video footage, keycard/access control records, and 911 communications
- Scene photos, debris patterns, burn mapping, and origin/cause findings
- Witness statements and evacuation timelines
- Product components for failure analysis (when relevant)
Damages in Building Safety Failure Cases
Catastrophic fire and explosion injuries can change a life overnight. Depending on the case, compensation may include:
- Past and future medical costs (burn care, surgeries, ICU, rehab, assistive needs)
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and loss of life’s enjoyment
- Disfigurement and long-term disability
- Home modifications and long-term care needs
- For families: wrongful death damages, loss of companionship, and related losses
We build damages with the seriousness these cases demand often using medical, vocational, and economic experts.
How Our Firm Helps
These cases require more than a basic claim file. They require a coordinated investigation and a clear liability theory grounded in life-safety obligations.
When you hire McEldrew Purtell, we can:
- Move quickly to preserve evidence and prevent “quiet fixes”
- Coordinate origin-and-cause work with qualified experts
- Identify the precise safety requirement that was ignored (and who controlled it)
- Prove notice: prior complaints, violations, and missed maintenance
- Pursue full-value outcomes through negotiation or trial when necessary
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