The relatives of a recently deceased SIUE student have filed suit against an Edwardsville landlord, alleging he did not provide properly working fire alarms, leading to the student’s death during an apartment fire.
Rex Petersen claims Lauren Petersen died on April 23, 2012, after she suffered fatal injuries during a fire that broke out at her apartment at 640 Hillsboro the day before.
According to recent news reports, the 19-year-old Lauren Petersen had been living in her off-campus apartment with a roommate when the fire broke out. After a neighbor noticed the blaze, firefighters arrived to find smoke billowing from the second floor of the renovated two-story home where Petersen was living, the report says. Petersen was then transported to Anderson Hospital in Maryville and airlifted to St. Luke’s Hospital, where she died at 8:30 a.m.
Because of Lauren Petersen’s death, her family and heirs have lost her society, love, affection, care, attention, companionship, comfort and guidance, according to the complaint filed July 29 in Madison County Circuit Court.
Before her death, Lauren Petersen suffered severe and permanent injuries, experienced pain and suffering and lost her life and her earnings, the suit states.
The plaintiffs blame defendants Alan S. Anthenat and Anthenat Enterprises for causing Lauren Petersen’s death, saying they negligently failed to supply all required alarms within Lauren Petersen’s apartments, failed to install all required alarms in her apartment, failed to provide at least one tenant with written information regarding alarm testing and maintenance, failed to ensure batteries were in operating condition and failed to ensure that every dwelling unit was equipped with at least one approved smoke detector, among other negligent acts.
In his two-count complaint, Rex Petersen is seeking a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.
Ted Gianaris and G. Michael Stewart of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd in Alton will be representing him.
Madison County Circuit Court case number: 13-L-1274.
Fatal fire claiming life of SIUE student is subject of suit
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