Families sue building owners over Bronx fire that killed 17

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN and TED SHAFFREY
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Several families whose loved ones died or were injured while trying to escape a smoked-filled Bronx apartment building are suing the owners. The families allege in five lawsuits filed Tuesday that safety violations led to the wrongful deaths of 17 people, including eight children. Fire officials say a malfunctioning space heater started the Jan. 9 blaze. The fire produced suffocating smoke that rose through a stairwell and killed people as they tried to flee. A spokesperson for the building’s owners denies they were responsible. The lawsuits do not specify monetary damages or particular safety violations.