{"id":31129,"date":"2020-10-15T00:26:11","date_gmt":"2020-10-15T00:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dtla.peaceofcode.net\/?page_id=31129"},"modified":"2026-06-14T12:05:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T12:05:37","slug":"venice-hotel-fire-caused-by-space-heater-kills-1-and-injures-7-others-in-mid-city-area","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/downtownlalaw.com\/es\/practice-areas\/police-car-cruiser-accident\/venice-hotel-fire-caused-by-space-heater-kills-1-and-injures-7-others-in-mid-city-area\/","title":{"rendered":"EL INCENDIO DE UN CALEFACTOR EN EL HOTEL VENICE CAUSA 1 MUERTO Y 7 HERIDOS EN EL CENTRO DE LA CIUDAD"},"content":{"rendered":"

Space Heater Fire at Venice Hotel Kills 1 and Injures 7 Others in Mid-City Area<\/h1>\n
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An early-morning fire on Friday, February 7, 2020, that was allegedly started by a space heater left one person dead and at least seven other suffering from a variety of injuries. The Venice Hotel, located in Mid-City, was the scene of the unfortunate incident.<\/p>\n

The fire department responded to the scene of the fiery two-story hotel at approximately 2 a.m. The Venice Hotel is located on the 8600 block of Venice Boulevard.<\/p>\n

Upon arriving on the scene, firefighters observed that fire and smoke filled the first floor of the building. More in-depth footage, specifically aerial footage, showed that the flames also engulfed the second floor; in fact, the flames burned through some parts of the ceiling.<\/p>\n

Residents were desperate to escape the flames; some residents were so desperate that they were exiting out of their windows. Firefighters quickly addressed the situation, some helped residents evacuate the premises while others tackled the flames. After approximately 40 minutes, the fire was extinguished; it took the efforts of more than 100 firefighters to address the fire.<\/p>\n

As mentioned above, one person died because of the fire. The deceased victim, who was identified as 62-year-old Paul Bisland, was found inside the Venice Hotel and was pronounced dead at the scene.<\/p>\n

Many others were injured. One man suffered critical injuries, and his condition in unchanged. Two other victims, a man and a woman, were transported to local hospitals in grave condition; their condition has been updated to serious. One man was listed to be in fair condition. Another man denied transportation to a local hospital and was assessed at the scene for a minor injury. Another woman was transported via a private vehicle to a local hospital after either jumping or falling from her second-story window; her condition is serious, but a recovery is expected. A firefighter was also injured; he suffered from respiratory issues, albeit non-life threatening.<\/p>\n

According to the fire department, the fire was ignited because of a space heater; specifically, the constant heat emitted by the space heater ignited combustible materials that were too close to the heater.<\/p>\n

Although the fire has been determined to be accidental, the community \u2013 especially the victims who were displaced \u2013 have been left with many questions. Could the fire have been prevented? Did the hotel owner contribute to the extent of the harm\/damages suffered in any way? Could the hotel owner have done anything to reduce the risk of a fire on the premises? Was the hotel equipped wit a smoke alarm, fire alarm, or sprinkler system? Did the hotel have clear fire exits or escape routes?<\/p>\n

As mentioned above, the fire has been determined to have been accidental; however, it is possible that the negligent actions of a party or entity contributed to the incident. If you suspect that the fire was a result of the negligence of a hotel or motel owner, you should explore the possibility of taking legal action.<\/p>\n

If you or a member of your family were harmed in the fire discussed above (or any other similar incident), do not hesitate to seek legal assistance immediately as you might have grounds to sue. To learn more about the possibility of taking legal action for the harm that you or a family member suffered, do not hesitate to contact our firm today.<\/p>\n

Downtown L.A. Law Group is a personal injury law firm with many years of experience handling all sorts of claims, hotel fire incident claims are no exception. If you would like to explore the possibility of pursuing a claim for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our law firm immediately. Our lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and provide<\/a> you with the guidance necessary to help you proceed legally.<\/p>\n

The Dangers Associated with Fires<\/h2>\n

Fires could cause extensive harm. Undeniable, burn injuries are the most common types of injuries<\/a> associated with fires. Burn injuries range in degrees; third-degree burns and fourth-degree burns,<\/a> are very common and can lead to loss of function, loss of feeling, and even amputations. In the most severe cases, the burn injury reaches the bone and the bone is charred. Burn injuries can be fatal. Smoke inhalation injuries are also common. The inhalation of the hot fumes and gases could severely affect the respiratory system; in fact, the inhalation of hot fumes could result in internal burns. Smoke inhalation could also lead to oxygen deprivation, which can cause brain damage and death.<\/p>\n

In many cases, victims are injured trying to escape the fire. In the incident discussed above, in specific, victims were harmed after making the decision to jump from their windows. Falls from even a second-story window can result in significant injuries, including but not limited to broken bones.<\/p>\n

Property damage is also possible. Typically, hotel and motel guests only have their luggage with them; therefore, property damage might be limited. However, community hotels such as the one involved in the incident mentioned above, often offer long-term stays. Long-term residents often have more of their personal belongings on the premises; therefore, their property damage is likely to be more significant.<\/p>\n

Regardless of specifics, fires can be dangerous and result in significant harm as well as losses. If you or a member of your family was affected by a fire at a hotel, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance immediately as you might have grounds to pursue a claim.<\/p>\n

Understanding Liability<\/h2>\n

Who is liable for hotel fires? Who can be held accountable for the harm or losses resulting from hotel fires? Liability depends on the specific details surrounding the incidents. Considering that hotel and motel owners owe their guests a specific duty of care (the duty to promote guest safety while on the premises), hotel and motel owners could be held liable \u2013 given that they directly contributed to the harm caused<\/a> by the incident.<\/p>\n

In many cases, hotel owners fail to address the hazards present on their premises; this failure represents a breached duty of care. Some of the potential hazards present in hotels and could make the hotel owner liable for any harm associated with a fire includes the following:<\/p>\n