A Gate City apartment complex is under investigation following the death of Tyrennise Mabry, killed in what appears to be a natural gas explosion Tuesday, December 17, 2013.
Residents of the Marks Village apartments awoke to a loud boom and screams just before 3:00am Tuesday morning. Power went out as an explosion shook the complex, killing 40-year-old Tyrennise Mabry and injuring four adults and four children.
Dozens of residents have now been left homeless a week before Christmas and many others are terrified to stay in there homes following what authorities believe was a natural gas explosion. Residents have apparently been voicing concerns to management over fears of a gas leak for weeks.
"I complained to the rental office probably two weeks ago about gas," said resident Christianna Braxton.
"We have been complaining about our problems out here and they just now want to do something about it because of this tragedy. It's sad to say that everything had to blow up in order for them to come out here and do what they're doing now," said resident Natasha Jones.
As the community mourns the loss of Ms. Mabry and prays for the recovery of all those injured and displaced from their homes, premises liability attorneys are questioning whether a fatal safety oversight at Marks Village contributed to this tragedy:
- Following resident reports of a potential gas leak, what steps were taken by the owner and management of Marks Village? When was the last gas meter inspection performed?
- Was the gas company or fire department called to perform an emergency inspection following these urgent resident reports and, if so, why did they fail to escalate an emergency service request?
Apartment owners are required by law to protect residents and guests from all foreseeable harm. Given the multiple gas leak reports leading up to this tragedy, attorneys at The Murray Law Firm believe it is possible that the owner and management of Marks Village failed in their duty to protect Ms. Mabry and the injured victims of this horrific explosion. Should they be found at fault, the family of Tyrennise Mabry may elect to hold the complex civilly liable in her wrongful death. The many other victims of this horrific explosion may also elect to hold the apartment owner and manager civilly liable for their injuries.
Total recovery may be in the millions of dollars and would, most importantly, demand Marks Village and other local apartment owners make resident safety their first priority. Such a claim will also call on local gas companies and fire officials to enforce state inspection laws and punish property owners who fail in their duty to perform proper utility maintenance and safety inspections.
It is imperative all victims and families involved in this tragic explosion retain a premises liability firm without delay to ensure all evidence is preserved and their best interests are protected. Unscrupulous property owners and insurance companies are, unfortunately, often more concerned with protecting their own financial exposure than protecting victims.
Our sincere condolences are with the family of Tyrennise Mabry and we pray for the swift recovery of all those injured. The Murray Law Firm has extensive experience in protecting victims of negligent property owners and we offer our legal expertise to the victims and families of this tragedy, if needed.
Anyone seeking further information on our investigation is encouraged to contact us toll free at 888.842.1616.
