Thomas Casey, 70, Died, and Four Others Hospitalized in Manchester Apartment Fire on Union Street
MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE (January 15, 2026) – A 70-year-old man identified as Thomas Casey has tragically died in a Manchester apartment fire that injured four other people.
Hillsborough County officials are saying that the accident took place on the morning of New Year’s Day. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the apartment at 567 Union Street.
Several people were trapped on their balcony windows by the time firefighters arrived. One person jumped from their second-floor balcony to escape the flames.
Fire crews were able to rescue several other people by using ground ladders and bucket trucks. In total, 50 people inside of the building were displaced.
Four people were transferred to the hospital to receive treatment. Sadly, Thomas Casey died after being treated for smoke inhalation at the hospital.
A full investigation into the Manchester apartment fire is ongoing.
Liability for Manchester Apartment Fires
Property owners in Massachusetts have a legal obligation to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. This requires them to conduct periodic inspections of their property and address known hazards. If a property owner has actual or constructive notice of a hazardous condition on their property, they must take action. There are many ways that a property owner may have failed to adequately protect their residents in the event of a fire.
- A property owner may have failed to provide or maintain fire detection systems.
- A property owner may have failed to install or maintain various fire suppression systems. This includes sprinkler systems and fire extinguishers.
- A property owner may have allowed their building to have blocked or locked fire exits.
- A property owner may have failed to remedy faulty or outdated wiring in their building.
- A property owner may have improperly stored flammable materials.
Depending on the facts of any case, there may be numerous sources of liability for apartment fires beyond the property owner. Companies can be liable for accidents caused by defective products. For example, the company that manufactured a certain product could be liable for an accident if it was the source of the fire. In particular, a number of fires have been started by defective space heaters. Another major source of fires is products that contain lithium-ion batteries.
Steps to Take After Apartment Fires
Residential fires remain a leading cause of preventable injury and death in the United States. According to Pew Research, “The fire death rate for modern apartments was 1.2 per million residents in 2023, compared with 7.6 per million residents in single-family homes and 7.7 per million in older apartments. The new multifamily fire death rates are lower in both small and large apartment buildings.” Certain actions should be taken after any apartment fire.
- Medical Treatment: Victims of apartment fires should seek medical treatment. Even if a person isn’t seriously burned in a fire, they can sustain many injuries through smoke inhalation.
- Evidence Preservation: All of the evidence related to the start of the fire should be collected. An investigation can help reveal the potential source of any fire.
- Apartment Records: All of the maintenance records related to the apartment should be reviewed. These can help demonstrate an apartment owner acted negligently.
- Legal Review: The family of any person who died in an apartment fire should seek an independent review of the accident by a premises liability lawyer.
It can be difficult to know where to begin after any apartment fire. Victims often sustain major injuries that lead to costly medical bills. To make matters worse, property owners will virtually never accept responsibility if someone is killed or injured in their building. This is why it is so important that these incidents are investigated by an outside party. The family of any person who died in an apartment fire may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a wrongful death claim.
Contact DiBella Law for Legal Support for Apartment Fire Injury or Death
We at DiBella Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Thomas Casey. Any person with more information about what happened should reach out to the police. It is our sincere hope that measures are taken to prevent similar tragedies. Many questions still need to be answered.
Do you need more information about your legal options after a Manchester apartment fire? Our team of personal injury and accident attorneys is here for you. We are committed to helping victims understand their rights and protecting those rights through skilled advocacy. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (617) 870-0907.