A SECOND LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED AGAINST THE MANAGEMENT
COMPANY AND OWNERS OF THE WEDGWOOD SENIOR LIVING APARTMENTS, THE CASTLE HILLS
HIGH-RISE IN TEXAS WHERE A FATAL FIRE BROKE OUT LAST MONTH.
January 21, 2015
A second lawsuit has been filed against the management
company and owners of the Wedgwood Senior Living apartments, the Castle Hills
high-rise where a fatal fire broke out last month.
The suit, filed by seven residents ranging from 59 to 86
years old, alleges that Wedgwood Senior Apartments LLC, Bellamar
Texas LLC and Entrada Management Services Inc. were negligent in their
maintenance and operations of the 11-story building.
“The Defendants failed completely in their duty to the
vulnerable elderly occupants — with tragic and far-reaching consequences the
full depths of which are not yet known,” the suit says.
The suit alleges that building managers did not enforce a
no-smoking policy and that they did not have operable smoke detectors in every
room. It also blames them for not having a sprinkler system, although Castle
Hills regulations allowed the building to be grandfathered from installing the
devices.
An attorney for the defendants said he had not seen the suit
yet and could not comment. A spokesperson for Entrada Management did not
immediately return a message.
Five people died in the Dec. 28 fire and a sixth person died
two days later, although authorities have not said if that death was connected
to the fire. Authorities are still investigating the cause.
Two dozen residents filed a lawsuit against the building
owners and managers earlier this month.