Explosion at Sea World Hotel Injuries Three – Personal Injury
According to a News 10 report from San Diego, an explosion at a hotel near Sea World has resulted in injuries for at least three people. ABC News reports that hash oil was the cause of the blast. One of the victims was said to be seriously injured and all three were transported to local hospitals to be treated for burn injuries.
According to authorities, a couple was extracting hash oil. This process involves packing finely ground stems of marijuana into a pipe and pouring butane over the mixture. The liquid is then heated to separate the butane. This results in an oil with a high content of THC, the primary drug found in marijuana.
Investigators found several canisters of butane in the room identified as the epicenter of the blast. The butane was apparently ignited by someone smoking a cigarette.
One 22-year-old man suffered life-threatening physical trauma. Another woman in the room was also hurt, as was a young man in the next room. Witnesses stated that the walls in at least four rooms were crumbled or destroyed, indicating a very powerful blasts. Other witnesses described the blast as feeling “like an earthquake.”
The Heritage Inn Sea World hotel where the blast occurred is billed as a good hotel for vacationing families on a budget. However, there are also occupants who cannot afford a rental lease for living space and live in the hotel more or less permanently.
Who Is Liable For The Injuries In This Explosion?
This explosion will present interesting legal questions for personal injury attorneys depending on the results of the investigation.
If the victim ignited the blaze by engaging in illegal activity, it is not likely that he will have much of a case to collect damages. Similarly, his companion may find it difficult to recover damages if she was involved in the illegal activity, although she may be able to recover damages from him for negligence.
However, the other victim, if he was not involved in the activity, has a good case for personal injury. His injuries were directly caused by the negligence of another person, which is the basis of any personal injury case.
Further, the hotel may have liability in this case. When hotels allow people to live in their rooms, they often find evidence of drug use and other illegal activity. If they allow the suspects to stay in the hotel, creating a danger for other residents and guests, those who are then injured can often collect damages under the theory of premises liability. Premises liability law states that property owners have a legal obligation to reduce or eliminate danger to those who enter the property. In the case of a hotel, it is vital that the owners maintain a safe environment and reduce the amount of danger to guests in every way possible.
A personal injury attorney can help victims of these types of accidents collect damages.