Victims sue Nicor Gas, management company after Des Plaines condo fire

Des Plaines condo fire victims file lawsuit against NICOR, management company

 It has been more than a week and many people are still recovering from an explosion at a condo building in Des Plaines. The community is now demanding answers. An attorney representing 3 of the 8 victims says this tragedy may have been preventable and now, those victims are suing both the building’s management company and NICOR Gas. They claim residents reported smelling gas, but the response wasn’t thorough enough.     Leslie Moreno joins us live in Des Plaines with more on the lawsuit.

DES PLAINES, Ill. - New legal action has now been filed following the devastating condo explosion and fire in Des Plaines earlier this month.

What we know:

Three of the eight victims injured in the May 6 explosion are suing Nicor Gas and the building’s management company, Tom Dase Management LLC.

The lawsuit alleges residents reported smelling natural gas before the blast and claims the response was not thorough enough to prevent the explosion.

According to the law firm representing the victims, all three clients remain in critical condition with severe burn injuries.

Attorney Bradley Cosgrove with Clifford Law Offices says families are still dealing with overwhelming trauma after losing their homes, belongings and even pets.

"We have people dealing with horrific burns, terrible pain, emotional scarring… and on top of that, they’ve lost everything," Cosgrove said. "Some even lost their pets. It’s just an absolutely horrific scene."

RELATED: Des Plaines condo explosion victims sue gas company, condo management

The other side:

Attorneys claim Nicor Gas responded to the building after residents reported a possible leak but say people were later told it was safe to return inside.

"Nicor showed up about an hour after the call," Cosgrove said. "An employee went in, came back out, and told residents there was no gas leak. So people believed it was safe."

The backstory:

The explosion happened hours later near Harding Street and Graceland Avenue, sending eight people to the hospital.

Witnesses said some residents were forced to jump from balconies to escape the flames.

Nicor Gas released a statement saying, in part, "The safety of our customers, employees and the communities we serve is our highest priority," adding the company determined the event "was not caused by Nicor Gas facilities."

But attorneys representing the victims argue that statement does not address whether the response to the reported gas smell was handled properly.

What we don't know:

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

Fox Chicago reached out to Tom Dase Management LLC but has not heard back yet.