$100 million lotto

[Guest partyrock]

Brothers made a ballsy push and actually gave a couple of those kids a chance. EMS was on scene with ALS available as the kids were being brought out. How many places could match that response and get those results? Sue the landlord for allowing those illegal occupancies, sue the relative who ran those space heaters in that environment and sue the relative that wasted between 5 and 10 minutes trying to fight the fire delaying activation of fire and ems.

June 12, 2007 -- The West African father whose wife and four kids perished in a horrific Bronx blaze last March has taken the first step toward a $100 million lawsuit against the FDNY and other city agencies for negligence, The Post has learned.

Mamadou Soumare has filed a notice of claim - which must be lodged within 90 days of an incident to preserve the right to sue the city in the future - with City Comptroller William Thompson's office, according to records obtained by The Post.

The claim identifies as potential defendants: the FDNY; the Department of Buildings; the Department of Housing Preservation and Development; and Moussa Magassa, who owned the Woodycrest Avenue three-story home where the Soumares died in a horrendous inferno on March 7, and lost five of his own children.

Officials later said that the residence lacked smoke detectors with working batteries, but there were no other apparent housing violations.

It is believed the fire was caused by a space heater.

Shortly before the blaze, Magassa had applied to the city to divide the dwelling into three apartments and planned to install sprinklers and a metal fire stairwell. The application was pending at the time of the devastating fire.

The claim charges that Magassa was "negligent in his ownership and operation of the premises," while the FDNY "failed to respond in a timely manner to extinguish or control the fire."

FDNY officials declined to comment last night. At the time, the FDNY said that people in the house had tried putting out the fire themselves and didn't call 911; then, after a neighbor called, the Fire Department arrived 3 minutes and 23 seconds later, officials said.

Soumare's claim also cites the other city agencies for "failing to do the appropriate inspections."

Magassa and the city agencies "knew or should have known that a dangerous condition existed in this area and/or otherwise in the dwelling," the claim says.

"As a result of the negligent conduct of [the potential defendants], Mr. Soumare suffered the unconceivable - the loss of his family, his wife and all of his children," the claim says.

They are liable "for the sum of $100 million," it adds, citing claims for "personal injury, pain, suffering, mental anguish, and medical bills, lost wages and economic damages."

Soumare's lawyer, Michael Wildes, described the notice of claim, filed late last month, as safeguarding his client's options, but not indicating what he ultimately plans to do.

"Clearly he's not engaged in an adversarial [action]," Wildes said. "His interest is in going forward and rebuilding his life. People have reached into their own pockets to help this man out of . . . the plight that he's gone through."

City tort attorney Mike Palomino said, "Obviously this involves a very tragic case, and we certainly will review the case thoroughly."

maggie.haberman@nypost.com

[M' Ave 1,466]

I'm pretty sure that I read a really low response time in the paper. SOmething like 3:30 from the time the 911 call was made. That's pretty quick in my mind.......

Who doesn't feel for a guy who lost his family? It's incredibly tragic, but who are we blaming here? The FDNY? Perhaps the other parties are a bit responsible, but certainly not to the tune of 100 million!

[Goose 188]

Only in America.

[Guest]

Only in America.

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This is so unbelievable that a response can not be made.

More unbelievable is that he'll probably walk away with something.

[M' Ave 1,466]

Clearly no one got the memo.

Money heals all wounds and makes every emotional problem go away.

[ajsbear 11]

What's the 2 most commonly used words in the English language? I'll sue!!! This is why we have to watch everything we do and say today. This guy probably didn't think about this until some hot shot ambulance chasser got to him. Why not sue the company that made the heater that started the fire? How about reaching out and going after the builder who built a non fireproof building? The list could go on. The lawyer is going after the city because they'll look for a quick settlement and pay not to go to court.

A real "get rich quick" scam. Same as "sidewalk falls." Quick settlements for usually BS cases.

[HFD750 6]

Clearly no one got the memo.

Money heals all wounds and makes every emotional problem go away.

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Yeah must have missed that one...

[Guest WolfEMT]

The only one who should be held responsible is the idiot plaintiff who ran extension cords under rugs, overloaded circuits, took the batteries out of the smoke detectors, and delayed calling 911.