When businesses cut corners on fire safety, guests and workers suffer. We investigate fast and pursue accountability nationwide.
A hotel should be a place to rest not a place where blocked exits, failed alarms, and understaffed night shifts turn a fire into a mass-casualty event. The same is true across commercial properties: offices, restaurants, warehouses, venues, and retail spaces rely on layered safety systems to prevent fires and protect people when emergencies happen.
McEldrew Purtell represents catastrophically injured survivors and families facing wrongful death after commercial property and hotel fires. We move quickly to preserve evidence, identify what failed, and hold the responsible parties accountable.
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Why Commercial and Hotel Fires Become So Dangerous
Commercial properties have unique risks: higher occupancy, complex layouts, unfamiliar guests, after-hours staffing gaps, and heavy electrical and mechanical loads. In hotels, guests may be asleep, impaired, or disoriented making early warning and safe egress critical.
Severe injuries often stem from:
- Rapid smoke spread through corridors, stairwells, and HVAC systems
- Delayed detection or alarm notification
- Locked, blocked, or confusing exit routes
- Sprinklers that donât activate or donât control the fire
- Poor emergency lighting, signage, or evacuation procedures
- Renovation work, kitchen operations, laundry/boiler rooms, or electrical failures
Commercial Property & Hotel Fire Cases We Investigate
We handle catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims involving fires in:
- Hotels, motels, resorts, and casinos
- Apartment-like extended-stay properties
- Office buildings and mixed-use properties
- Restaurants, bars, clubs, and entertainment venues
- Warehouses, distribution centers, and industrial facilities
- Retail stores, malls, and big-box locations
- Parking structures and attached garages
- Conference centers and event spaces
Common Causes and Contributing Factors
Fire Detection and Alarm Failures
- Inoperable detectors or missing coverage
- Panels in trouble mode, silenced, or improperly maintained
- Delayed monitoring response or notification breakdowns
Sprinkler and Suppression System Failures
- Shut valves, low pressure, corrosion, or poor maintenance
- Inadequate coverage for the propertyâs layout or use
- Kitchen suppression problems (hood systems, grease duct issues)
Exits, Egress, and Evacuation Problems
- Blocked/locked stairwells or exit doors
- Broken or missing emergency lighting and signage
- Poorly designed evacuation routes or inaccessible exits
Electrical, Mechanical, and Operational Hazards
- Faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, unsafe panels
- Space heaters, HVAC issues, elevator equipment rooms
- Laundry/boiler rooms, trash chutes, storage of combustibles
- Hot work during renovations (welding, cutting, roofing)
Management and Maintenance Negligence
- Ignored inspection violations or repeat hazards
- Inadequate staffing, training, or emergency planning
- Cost-cutting that delays critical repairs
Unsafe Storage, Housekeeping, and Fuel Load
- Combustible storage in hallways, stairwells, or electrical/mechanical rooms
- Improper disposal of linens, cardboard, or packaging in back-of-house areas
- Trash or recycling build-up near loading docks and dumpsters
- Flammable liquids stored without proper cabinets, labeling, or separation
- Cluttered stockrooms that block sprinkler coverage or hinder evacuation
Who Can Be Held Accountable After a Hotel or Commercial Fire?
ReLiability may involve multiple parties, including:
- Property owners and commercial landlords
- Hotel operators, franchise entities, and management companies
- Maintenance vendors and life-safety contractors
- Electrical contractors and renovation teams
- Security companies (locked exits, access control issues)
- Manufacturers of alarms, panels, sprinklers, wiring, appliances, or suppression components
We donât assume the story is simple. We identify the entities that controlled the property, the safety systems, and the decisions that put people at risk.
What We Do Early to Protect Your Case
Evidence in commercial fire cases can disappear quickly: systems get reset, repairs begin, and records âgo missing.â Early legal action can make the difference.
Our team works to secure:
- Alarm panel logs, detector status reports, and monitoring records
- Sprinkler inspection/testing history, valve status, and service reports
- Surveillance footage, keycard/access logs, and 911 recordings
- Maintenance work orders, staffing schedules, training materials
- Inspection reports, violations, and prior complaints
- Origin-and-cause findings, scene documentation, and component preservation
Injuries We Commonly See
Commercial and hotel fires often cause life-changing harm, including:
- Severe burns and scarring
- Smoke inhalation injuries and respiratory damage
- Brain injury from oxygen deprivation
- Falls and crush injuries during evacuation
- Wrongful death
We work with medical and life-care experts to document long-term needs and the true cost of recovery.
Compensation in Commercial Fire Cases
Depending on the facts, survivors and families may pursue damages for:
- Hospitalization, surgeries, burn care, rehabilitation, and future treatment
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, trauma, and loss of lifeâs enjoyment
- Disfigurement and disability accommodations
- Long-term care and home modifications
- Wrongful death losses for families, including financial support and companionship
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