August 2024
The fire started when a light bulb made contact with another item in the room, likely a pillow case or box, while residents were out of the room. It spread to other units in the building. The fire caused $500,000 in damage and started in a unit containing “a large amount of household possessions packed densely throughout the unit” according to a judge who required residents to pay for damages.
According to the presiding judge, the residents “created an objectively foreseeable and unreasonable risk of harm” to other residents by keeping the unit in a “near-hoarding state.” The resident did not maintain insurance despite being required to do so.
Hoarding in condo units occur after people downsize to a condominium, or when hoarders accumulate excessive amounts of items they are unwilling to dispose of. While building management is unlikely to proactively check units for hoarding or other dangerous situations, they authorize others to periodically check units to ensure working fire safety systems, undertake repairs or other purposes. These are opportunities for management to obtain reports on unit conditions. These reports should be reviewed and action taken when potential hazards are identified.
