Lawsuit claims work by unlicensed contractor caused 6-alarm Fort Worth apartment fire
Fort Worth apartment fire
FORT WORTH, Texas - More than a month after a six-alarm fire ripped through a Fort Worth apartment complex, dozens of former residents have filed a lawsuit claiming a contractor using an unlicensed electrician caused the fire that left those residents unable to collect their belongings.
In court documents filed Wednesday, the former residents are suing The Cooper Fort Worth, LLC; Lightbulb Capital Group, LLC; Cushman and Wakefield, Inc; RPM Living, LLC; and Cano Electric, Inc.
Court documents state that while Cushman and Wakefield was acting as property manager for The Cooper, they contracted Cano Electric to perform work on a rooftop HVAC unit.
Attorneys for the former residents claim Cano Electric sent an unlicensed contractor to perform the work without supervision.
Court documents claim the fire started after the contractor replaced a breaker, causing the fire and the evacuation of more than 800 residents from the property.
Weeks after the fire, residents claim they still haven't been allowed to get their belongings. According to Wednesday's filing, some residents were told they would not be able to get what remains of their personal items without hiring a third-party contractor to decontaminate the items.
What they're saying:
"What happened at The Cooper is unfathomable," said the residents’ attorney, Katie Steele, of Varghese Summersett. "No one should lose their home due to negligence — and then be shut out from recovering what little remained. This is cruelty piled on top of catastrophe."
The lawsuit claims that residents that were allowed inside the building were asked to sign a waiver and only given a few hours to collect their things.
The residents' lawsuit is asking the court to prevent the destruction of the buildings and property inside while the case plays out.
It's also seeking more than $1 million to cover the loss of property, lost wages and relocation expenses.
Fort Worth apartment fire: Resident rushed into burning building to save dog
On Friday, FOX 4 spoke with one resident about what he went through to rescue the most important thing in his home: Ollie, a 6-year-old Maltipoo dog, who was trapped in the burning building.
"We have exhausted every avenue in our efforts to obtain answers from Lightbulb and RPM Living," Steele said. "Our calls for transparency have been met with silence. The time for avoiding accountability is over. We will see them in court."
Weeks after the fire, management of The Cooper changed from Cushman and Wakefiled to RPM Living. Residents claim the management change caused more delays in allowing them to get their belongings.
In a letter from RPM to residents of building one dated Aug. 1, the property manager said items left in the building was "contaminated with toxic materials" and would require the use of an outside company to decontaminate the belongings before they could be removed.
The lawsuit claims the notices were regularly sent after hours to limit the residents' ability to "seek clarification, assert their rights, or take timely action."
Cooper Apartments 6-alarm fire
6 alarm apartment building fire in Fort Worth
A six-alarm apartment fire broke out at The Cooper apartment complex on West Rosedale Street in Fort Worth. The fire, which started around 1:45 p.m., led to the evacuation of residents from the six-story building. One person sustained minor injuries, and the cause of the fire is currently unknown
The backstory:
The fire at the Cooper Apartments on West Rosedale Street in Fort Worth broke out on June 20.
Everyone made it out of the six-story building safely, but the fire caused a significant amount of damage, including a partial roof collapse.
It took roughly 150 firefighters and 50 fire trucks, including both engine and ladder trucks, to extinguish the flames.
The heat was the primary reason for the six alarms. Firefighters had to work in rotations to avoid heat exhaustion.
The fire department later told FOX 4 that the construction of the roof made it difficult for them to get water on the flames.
The Source: Information on the lawsuit filed by former Cooper residents comes from court filings in Tarrant County District Court. Information on the fire at the Cooper Apartments comes from previous FOX 4 reporting.