Local News
Fire safety standards are in question at Senior Care America 2, a Lawrenceville assisted living home, after a Monday evening fire reportedly claimed the life of Hak Sun Park and injured another elderly resident.
According to the AJC, emergency crews were called to 828 Rock Springs Road around 8:30pm Monday evening. Firefighters reportedly discovered a personal care home, Senior Care America 2, in flames and billowing smoke upon arrival.
88-year-old Hak Sun Park was apparently trapped inside the burning home. Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge told media Ms. Park was located and removed through a window. She was reportedly transported to Grady Memorial Hospital where she later perished from injuries, including burns and smoke inhalation.
An 85-year-old male resident was also transported to the hospital for burns and smoke inhalation. He was discovered conscious, outside the burning home. His condition has not been released. Six others reportedly escaped the fire without injuries.
The Gwinnett Daily Post reports the fire is believed to have started in the injured man’s room, though they have not released details. Ms. Park was allegedly in her locked room at the time of evacuation.
Our Legal Take
The Murray Law Firm is following the incident closely and questions whether a fatal fire safety lapse may have contributed to this tragedy.
What emergency evacuation procedures were in place to safely evacuate elderly residents from the building during a fire? How did these measures fail to protect Ms. Park and the other victim? What was the staff to resident ratio at that time of the fire?
Was Ms. Park physically able to leave the home herself during an emergency? If not, what procedures were in place to address the emergency evacuation of physically disabled residents?
Ms. Park’s room was reportedly locked during the evacuation. Are the facility doors set to open automatically during a fire? Does management have a master key for emergencies?
The fire allegedly broke out in a resident room. When were rooms last inspected by a fire marshall? How frequently are resident rooms inspected for fire hazards by staff? Do staff monitor resident use of cigarettes and space heaters in rooms, particularly near oxygen tanks?
As the details of this fire continue to develop, The Murray Law Firm suggests that it is possible that the Senior Care America 2 facility failed to undertake proper safety measures to protect those residents legally on the premises. Under Georgia law, an owner and management company of a nursing home has a duty to protect residents and to keep the its premises safe. If the owner or manager fails in this duty, they may be held liable for any injuries or wrongful deaths that occur.
Should the personal care home be found at fault in this tragedy, the family of Ms. Park may elect to hold the owner or management company civilly liable for her wrongful death. Additionally, the other victim and his family may also elect to hold the assisted living home owner or management company liable for his injuries.
Claims of this magnitude, potentially in the millions of dollars, will send a gravely-needed message to all Georgia senior living facilities on the need to make resident safety their first priority.
However, as insurance companies and unscrupulous parties are often more concerned with limiting their financial exposure in these incidents, it is crucial that an experienced premises liability firm be retained as soon as possible to ensure all evidence, such as fire hazards and surveillance footage, is preserved and the family’s best interests are protected.
The Murray Law Firm has extensive experience in protecting victims of nursing home negligence and we offer our legal expertise, if needed. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us at 404.842.1600. Consultations are free and confidential.
