Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Space Heater Causes Henderson House Fire

Four people and one pet were displaced from their home in Henderson this past weekend after their space heater caught the house on fire. The fire is believed to have started after the space heater was left unattended in the home.The Henderson Fire Department responded to the blaze around 1:00 p.m. at a two-story home near Arroyo Grande Boulevard and Sunset Road. Firefighters saw smoke rising above the roof and quickly tried to squelch the flames. The fire was located in the second-floor bathroom and promptly extinguished. 

No one was home at the time of the fire and there were no injuries; however, the fire caused significant property damage. The fire department estimates that repairs on the home will cost approximately $50,000. Henderson fire investigators have determined that the fire was a complete accident and was solely the result of the unattended space heater.

Space Heaters and Products Liability 


In recent years, space heaters have caused countless fires throughout the country, even leading the products to be banned in most workplaces. If a fire is caused by a space heater and there was no warning on the product, or if the space heather malfunctioned due to a design or manufacturing defect, then the manufacturer could be held liable for any resulting damages.

Victims of defective products are able to seek financial compensation for their injuries and losses under products liability law. There are three main types of defects recognized by products liability law: manufacturing defects, design defects, and the failure to adequately warn or instruct.
  • Manufacturing Defects: the product is defective because some sort of error occurred while it was made, and as a result the product is different than the rest.
  • Design Defects: the product’s design is inherently dangerous, and the defect is not the result of a manufacturing error.
  • Failure to Adequately Warn or Instruct: the manufacturer fails to provide consumers with adequate warnings about the risks presented by the product or fails to provide instructions about the proper use of the product.

If a victim can prove that their injuries were caused by one of the aforementioned defects, they can file a claim against the manufacturer for compensation.

To learn more about defective product claims, visit the Products Liability page on our website. 

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