Only Munacra can prevent forest fires.

Munacra

But don't let me near a stove, because I'll burn the hell out of the sucker.

So yesterday after a long day, I come home and I decide to cook some dinner. I was frying some potatoes and as I take them out of the frying pan, boom. My food, in practical terms, combusted. Flames were about six feet high, bursting straight up, like a blowtorch. I panic and I grab the flaming pan, oil pouring out, and I throw it in the sink. I grabbed the fire extinguisher and killed the fire.

Everything's ok for a bit and then the sprinklers turn on. More like water hoses. The living room looks like it's in the middle of a category 5 hurricane. With this monsoon around us, me and the housemates get the hell out of Dodge and run out the back door.

The firefigthers arrived and help clean the place a bit. Neighbors came and left, some staying to help.
I'm ok. I didn't get burned or anything like that. Just drenched from all the water.

The microwave melted (microwave is above the stove). Walls are covered in soot and the cabinets melted. The roof and the walls are drenched in water and will probably need to be torn down and drywalled again. Our electronics are soaked, but I think some of them will be ok since they were turned off at the time.

Thing is I don't have renter's insurance, so the managers of the apartment complex will try to pin as much money as they can on me.

What can I do in this situation? Who can help? Am I stuck with the full brunt of the damages, or do I have some rights in this case?

I'm confused and I could be fucked and I don't know what to do. Help me H/A

Pheezer

I'm pretty sure your liability would only stretch so far as your damage deposit, provided there wasn't some gross negligence or intent on your part. Although I'm speaking from a Canadian point of view so maybe your local laws on the subject are less reasonable.

Thanatos

Call your local tenants' association and ask.

Muncie

My parents have several rental properties and they had a new set of renters set a house on fire the day they were moving in. They didn't have renter's insurance and half of their possessions went up with the house. The house itself had to be completely gutted from the cement block inward. My parents' insurance rebuilt the house but did not cover any of the renters' items. If they had renter's insurance their stuff would have been covered, but they didn't, so it was out of pocket.

Basically, depending on state/local insurance/liability shenanigans you should not be liable for any damage to the building, including smoke damage, water damage, and fire damage. This is all covered by the owner's insurance. If it isn't: then welp, too bad for them. They should have had proper coverage to protect their investment just as you should have had proper coverage to protect yours. Same with your roommates.

It's too late to cry over spilt milk, but in the future, get renter's insurance and annoy your roommates until they do, too. It's seriously cheap, maybe $10-20 a month for normal stuff, maybe up to $30 with other circumstances or a more inclusive policy.

But about your bolded concern: it's not your building. They have insurance to cover this sort of thing. If they get pushy about sticking it to you, talk to a lawyer. If the contract is stacked against you, saying things like you are responsible for all damage to the property while you live there, it may be an illegal rental contract. Don't assume you are financially responsible for this just because you didn't listen to Firefighter Dave on career day at West Plano High School. There is no need for you to go into unrecoverable, life-changing debt over a kitchen fire.

I doubt the owners will lean on you about this because that in itself may be against state and local tenancy laws. If someone starts asking you for money out of pocket over this, aside from what you may feel is an obligation to your friends, talk to a lawyer.

And after this is all over: get renter's insurance, holy shit.

Edit to add a note: When all is said and done, you may be liable for all damages, but don't assume that you are. Also don't assume that you can read the contract and some webpages and know your rights in this matter. Talk to the tenant association, but don't hesitate to get a lawyer. A lawyer may seem expensive but it could end up saving you a lot of money and headache.

Munacra

So it went pretty much as Muncie said. It was a scary experience, but hey, I'm done frying foods.

Grease fires are no joke.

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