Scottsdale Settles With Family Of Child Killed in Firehouse Mishap for $1.5 Million

Posted by: Curt Varone September 5, 2019 0

The City of Scottsdale has agreed to pay $1.5 million to the family of a 16-month-old boy who was killed in an accident involving an apparatus bay door last year.

Joseph ‘Joey’ Reiss was killed on February 3, 2018 when he was crushed by a sideways-folding apparatus bay door. His parents, Dan and Courtney Reiss, claim the doors posed an unreasonably dangerous condition which the city failed to adequately remedy and/or warn them about.

At the time, Courtney along with three other mothers and seven children, were touring the station where Joey’s uncle worked as a firefighter. After one the of units left the fire station, the door began closing and crushed the child’s head before anyone could react to stop it.

The family’s suit against the manufacturer of the door will continue. More on the story.

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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