Lawsuit alleges negligence in deadly fire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The mother of a 49-year-old man who died in a fire in April at the Westside Christian Home Care facility has filed a lawsuit against the business and the property owners, claiming negligence.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said the fire started about 1 a.m. April 21 at a home at Huron and First streets near the Coca-Cola bottling plant. The flames spread and a nearby home also caught fire.

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JFRD said at least 15 people were inside the two homes. Most of the people inside the homes were able to get out, but firefighters pulled two others out who were taken to hospitals. One of those later died.

Once the fire was out, firefighters said they also found a body inside one home.

News4Jax learned at the time that the two buildings that burned were registered with the state as a group home.

In a wrongful death complaint filed Tuesday, the family of William Henry, who was killed in the fire, alleges Westside Christian Home Care property owners Lillie and Freddie Blackshear, failed to maintain adequate fire protection systems. The lawsuit alleges the defendants did not have enough smoke detectors and other safety equipment and failed to stay up to date with fire inspections, which the complaint says are essential measures in any business but especially a group home environment.

The family’s attorneys from Morgan and Morgan released a statement, saying: “Any business owner has a duty to maintain a safe environment that is up to code and adequately equipped with fire safety equipment. We allege that if the defendants had taken the appropriate measures to ensure their building and business were safe, Mr. Henry would have not died in this fire. No family should have to suffer the needless death of a loved one. We will fight for justice for Mr. Henry’s family and hold the defendants accountable for their alleged negligence.”

On Wednesday, News4Jax attempted to contact the Blackshears about the pending litigation but did not get a response.


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Tarik anchors the 4, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. weekday newscasts and reports with the I-TEAM.