Couple Displaced in Massive Fire Sue for Negligence

Update Friday @ 11:39 a.m. : Someone donated a crib to the family in need. 


Two of dozens of tenants displaced from their Redwood City apartment after a deadly July 7 blaze filed a civil complaint Tuesday in San Mateo County Superior Court against the company that owns the building.

Jorge and Juanita Chavez from Apartment 216 filed the complaint after living at the Hallmark Apartment Houses at 531 Woodside Drive for about five years when the early morning July 7 six-alarm fire left the building uninhabitable and killed 48-year-old resident Darin Demello-Pine.

According to fire officials, the blaze started in his top-story apartment unit and quickly spread to other parts of the 72-unit building. The fire was reported around 2 a.m. that day and injured more than 20 people, including firefighters, and displaced about 100 residents. Residents were allowed to return two days later to the charred building for only a 10-minute period to retrieve any surviving belongings. 

The Chavezes claim the property owner, KDF Hallmark, was negligent
in the care of the building.

The couple is being represented by attorney Ara Jabagchourian from the Burlingame law firm Cotchett, Pitre & Mccarthy. Jabagchourian said that the husband and wife, who were able to get out of the burning building after hearing screams in the hallway, are the first tenants to file suit, however the firm is speaking with others displaced in the fire who would potentially file separate cases.

The attorney said the couple is staying with family in Bay Area.

In the complaint, the Chavezes allege that the fire was caused by the company's "failure to properly inspect, maintain and safeguard the property for a foreseeable unit fire."

The complaint details the alleged neglect, stating, "the high density apartment complex did not have safety sprinklers or other devices to minimize the threat of flames in case of a fire" and that the company failed to establish other safeguards. Additionally, the residents claim they suffered serious personal injury because of the company's alleged safety shortcomings.

The complaint says that the Chavezes suffered emotional and physical injury and lost nearly all their possessions and have not been able to return to work. There was an unspecified amount sought for damages.

Calls to the Orange County based-KDF Hallmark LP were not answered.

In the days after the fire, the American Red Cross assisted residents at an overnight shelter at the National Guard Armory. That space closed last Thursday and the Red Cross has been working with county agencies to help residents find shelter.

A client service center has since been established at the Fair Oaks Community Center, located at 2600 Middlefield Road. A victim information line has been set up at (650) 363-4433 for the latest about services available.


A town hall meeting will be held on Tuesday at the Fair Oaks Community Center multi-purpose room. The 7 p.m. meeting held by city officials aims to provide information to victims and answer any questions.

The public can continue to help victims by donating money or gift cards. Checks can be made out to the "Redwood City Woodside Road Fire Victims Support Fund" with account No. 2785121639. Checks can be delivered to any Wells Fargo bank, while gift cards can be delivered to the Salvation Army at 660 Veterans Blvd. or 628 Woodside Road, both in Redwood City.

Clothing and other household items are no longer needed after donors brought in enough supplies in the days after the blaze. However, a baby crib for a 3-month-old girl is still needed, city spokesman Malcolm Smith.

If anyone can donate a crib to the family, arrangements can be made by calling (650) 366-2742.

The current state of the apartment complex can be seen in this video clip. 

Bay City News writers contributed to this report.