When a car that crashed into a gas main was reported, firefighters arrived on scene to see a massive blaze that appeared to engulf an entire city block. One death and several injuries were reported – an entire restaurant was destroyed. Witnesses claimed seeing several patrons who were in the restaurant at the time of the blast running from the scene covered in blood. The accident occurred around 6 p.m. when a car crashed into a gas main near the restaurant, which itself was located in a busy shopping district. One employee said the accident happened right around the restaurant’s most crowded weekday time, when the restaurant had more guests than usual.
It is unclear what caused the driver to slam into the gas main, but the accident is under investigation. The accident was reported on the evening of February 13th, 2013, in Kansas City, MO.
Massive Amounts of Damage
Nobody expects that a restaurant will suddenly go up in flames. And certainly nobody expects that a single car collision will lead to a massive fire that engulfs a city block. What makes accidental fires and explosions so dangerous is the vast amount of damage and serious injuries that they can cause and the force with which they spread. For example, in the case of the gas main car crash above, an initial request for three ambulances had to be upgraded to a request for 10 ambulances in the time following firefighter response.
Fires and explosions pose a risk of potentially fatal injuries caused by burns and smoke inhalation. Plus, fires and explosions can weaken building structures and pose the risk of serious injury from falling debris and foundational collapses.
Businesses Should be Better Prepared for Potential Accidents
There’s no way to predict accidental fires or explosions. Businesses, no matter where they are located, have to be prepared for disasters of all kinds. Having a plan in place to respond to emergencies like fires might very well be instrumental in saving lives. The law has certain safety minimums that merchants and business owners have to meet if they want to operate legally (fire exit plans, maximum occupancy limits, etc.), but businesses can do more to prevent tragedy than just meet mandated minimums.
Anyone with a business or employees is encouraged to develop a fire safety and evacuation plan that takes into account the fact that the structure, when an accident occurs, may be packed with patrons. Employees should learn how to respond in these situations to ensure as little risk of harm to people involved as possible.
Burn Victims May Be Entitled to Compensation
When a fire or explosion is caused by the recklessness or negligence of another person, injury victims may have a claim for monetary damages against the person responsible. However, making a claim of impropriety against another person is a delicate legal process that should only be undertaken by an experienced attorney. Various facts and circumstances can affect the potential for compensation, therefore only an experienced attorney should be consulted by victims on the best legal course of action.