Chicago Firefighter’s Family Sues Building Owner Over LODD

Posted by: Curt Varone October 19, 2011 0

The family of a Chicago firefighter killed in 2010, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the property owners of the vacant building where the fire occurred.

Firefighters Edward Stringer, 47, and Corey Ankum, 34, were killed in a collapse on December 22, 2010 at a fire at the former Sing Way Cleaners, at 1744 East 75th Street. The fire went to three alarms and injured 19 other firefighters.

Today, Stringer’s daughter Jennifer and son Edward Jr. filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Chuck M. Dai and Richard Dai, the owners of building. They had been cited previously for code violations that had not been addressed prior to the fire.

According to Jennifer Stringer “Neither my father nor his comrade would have died that day if this building had been properly secured, or better yet, torn down… The owner’s negligence and his ignoring of citations created a tragedy … The owner’s negligence and his ignoring of citations created the tragedy, and I am here today to put the spotlight on him, and hold him accountable.”

One historical oddity about the story – the December 22, 2010 fire occurred 100 years to the day of the Chicago Union Stockyard Fire that killed 21 Chicago firefighters.

More on the suit.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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