Owner Not Liable for Firefighter's Injury

A tenant caused a fire in the building. A firefighter who was injured while fighting the fire sued the building's owner, among others. He argued that the owner's negligence caused the fire and thus his injuries. The owner asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the tenant caused the fire.

A New York appeals court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that there was no evidence that the owner had directly or indirectly caused the firefighter's injuries. The court noted that the fire was clearly caused by the tenant's conduct, over which the owner had no notice or control. And there was no evidence that any building code violations, which the owner would be responsible for, contributed to the fire or the firefighter's injuries [Zvinys v. Richfield Investment Co.].