- December 1, 2023
- Attorney Matt Stoddard
- Defective Products
Cooking accidents are the single most common cause of residential fires in the U.S. Some of those accidents result from user error — falling asleep with a pot on the stove, trying to extinguish oil with water, etc. However, even with perfect use, gas stoves and the gas lines they’re connected to are delicate systems, designed to burn an invisible, poisonous, and explosive substance in a controlled manner.
Subtle damage, or a slight design flaw, can be enough to derail that control and lead to deadly accidents that seem to come out of nowhere.
Gas companies, and companies the manufacture, sell, or service gas-burning appliances, have a duty to recognize the potential dangers associated with their products and services. They must take every reasonable precaution to prevent natural gas accidents, and to educate their customers on safe usage, because lives literally depend on their diligence.
A Recent Home Explosion in Rincon Happened Right After a Resident Lit the Stove
On the evening of October 28th, 2023, a home caught fire on Ebenezer Road in Rincon. One of the inhabitants, 69-year-old Gregory Smithey, did not survive.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, Beverly Smithey, survivor of the incident and wife of the deceased, says that she had just started a pot of potatoes on the stove when an explosion threw her across the kitchen.
She also reports that her husband was in the shower at the time, and when she tried to open the bathroom door to reach him, she found that it had fused shut in the blast, so she left to get help. Firefighters attempted to rescue Smithey, but after transport to a nearby hospital, he was pronounced dead.
There are a few different ways home explosions can occur, but most of them involve natural gas or propane leaking or pooling in areas where it shouldn’t be. There’s a good chance this accident started with a malfunction, either in the stove Beverly Smithey was using, or in the gas lines it was attached to.
The fact that she didn’t notice any leaks before the explosion occurred suggests that there might also have been a problem with the gas itself. Gas sold for fuel purposes is supposed to be formulated with strong-smelling odorants, to help customers avoid tragedies just like this one.
The Stoddard Firm Has Experience with Stove and Oven Accident Cases from Both Sides
As it exists today, the Stoddard Firm is 100% dedicated to helping victims of negligence get the compensation they deserve. We’re deeply passionate about holding powerful companies accountable, and helping to set precedents that continue to protect people from corporate carelessness and recklessness in the future.
Earlier in his career, however, Matthew Stoddard worked as a defense attorney for one of the world’s largest manufacturers of gas stoves, ovens, and ranges. As such, he understands exactly how a skilled lawyer, tasked with protecting a negligent manufacturer from a legitimate claim, would go about it.
This knowledge makes him exceptionally well-qualified to pursue cases against stove manufacturers, and virtually impossible for their defense lawyers to surprise.
If you are Beverly Smithey, or if you have also been injured or lost a loved one to a possible stove malfunction in Georgia, reach out any time for a free consultation on your case.
Attorney Matt Stoddard
Matt Stoddard is a professional, hardworking, ethical advocate. He routinely faces some of the nation’s largest companies and some of the world’s largest insurers – opponents who have virtually unlimited resources. In these circumstances, Mr. Stoddard is comfortable. Mr. Stoddard provides his strongest efforts to his clients, and he devotes the firm’s significant financial resources to presenting the strongest case possible on their behalf. Matt understands that his clients must put their trust in him. That trust creates an obligation for Matt to work tirelessly on their behalf, and Matt Stoddard does not take that obligation lightly. [ Attorney Bio ]