Thirty-two residents of a Frisco apartment complex that caught on fire during last week’s severe winter weather are suing the owners of The Cortland at Stonebriar for more than $1 million.
The fire, which burned for more than 36 hours and temporarily displaced all of the 260-unit complex’s residents, sent one resident to the hospital with burn and smoke inhalation injuries. Four firefighters were also treated for minor injuries and later released.
The lawsuit filed in Collin County District Court alleges that the complex had a faulty fire alarm and sprinkler system.
Attorney Zeke Fortenberry, who is representing the 32 residents with attorney Mark Underwood, said the suppression system could have helped put out the fire sooner, and working smoke detectors would have given residents the chance to obtain personal belongings and leave before they were injured or suffered from smoke inhalation.
While the fire occurred amid widespread power outages and frozen water pipes caused by winter storms and record-low temperatures, the fire alarms and sprinklers “are supposed to work regardless,” said Fortenberry, who suggested that the apartment complex needed back-up protections, including a secondary power source and anti-freeze. “That’s negligent on behalf of the apartment complex.”
The lawsuit alleges that at least 62 units at the Cortland at Stonebriar complex were destroyed by the fire, while others were impacted by water damage.
Today we filed a lawsuit on behalf of 32 victims of the Cortland Apartment fire in Frisco, TX last week. These victims...
Posted by Fortenberry Firm on Monday, February 22, 2021
The Cortland website displays more than 170 apartment complexes across nine states with 42 residential communities in Dallas-Fort Worth.
“We want to make sure they are not cutting corners in other facilities and the residents in other apartments are safe,” Fortenberry said. “We don’t want another tragedy like this to happen.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
“Resident safety is our priority,” an email statement from Cortland reads. “Our heartfelt sympathies are with the community during these trying times. We are working closely with local officials to fully assess the situation but we cannot provide any information at this time.”
