Preventable Propane Stove Explosion Kills Two at Home

This segment of The Law and You features personal injury trial lawyer Don Corson discussing one of his firm’s wrongful death cases where a couple died in their home when an incorrectly-installed propane gas stove exploded.

TRANSCRIPT
JOEL: This is Joel Block for The Law and You with Eugene attorney Don Corson. Don, one of your areas of expertise is fire hazards. What happened in one of your recent fire cases?

DON: Joel, it’s easy to be frustrated by city and state inspectors or licensing requirements, especially when a building project is stopped or delayed. We represented a family, who wished the inspectors had been there, because their parents would be alive today. Their parents’ propane stove had been installed improperly and caused a fatal fireball. The installer did not have the required state license, did not obtain the required building permit, and neither the installer nor the gas company got the required official inspection before the gas was turned on. Oregon and national laws are written to avoid just this kind of preventable tragedy.

JOEL: Thanks, Don. To learn more about this case, visit the Law Firm of Corson & Johnson at CorsonJohnsonLaw.com. The Law and You is a public service and does not replace the advice of an attorney.​

The Corson & Johnson Law Firm, an Oregon personal injury trial law firm, produced and distributed The Law and You as a public service to help families and consumers answer questions about our legal system and how it works for them. The Law and You spots were aired on KKNU, KMGE, KEUG, and KODZ.  Please note that laws may have changed since a public service spot was aired.  If you have suggestions for legal questions or topics you would like addressed, please contact us.