The owners of a Belleville mobile home that caught fire and resulted in two deaths argue that the decedents caused the fire by putting a space heater near combustible materials.
Breanna Reno, as administrator of Michael Hanglesben’s estate, filed the complaint on Jan. 7 against Janet and John Schmitt, individually and as administrators of the estate of Mack Schmitt, and Mary Williams.
According to the complaint, James Bell, 67, and Michael Hangsleben, 55, died inside a mobile home on North 41st Street in Belleville in early February 2018 when the home caught fire.
Reno claims the defendants, who owned the property, of violating Illinois law and Belleville ordinances by failing to install operating smoke detectors, failing to properly heat the home and allowing it to be in a dangerous condition.
Reno also claims the defendants failed to heat the mobile home to a room temperature of 68 degrees between October and April in violation of St. Clair County property maintenance code.
“An undetected fire broke out in said dwelling unit directly and proximately causing Michael N. Hangsleben to be burned in said fire and causing him severe physical, mental, and emotional pain and suffering prior to his death,” the suit states.
The Schmitts answered the complaint on March 2 through attorney Christopher Bortz of Neville Richards & Wuller LLC in Belleville.
In their affirmative defenses, the defendants argue that Hangsleben was contributorily negligent by operating a space heater in close proximity or contact with combustible materials.
They also argue that they are not liable because they were not responsible for the management, upkeep or maintenance of the property.
The plaintiff is represented by Kevin Boyne of Belleville and Jason B. Going of the Law Office of Jason B. Going in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 20-L-19