ORLANDO, Fla. (Legal Newsline) — The Florida city of Apopka is being blamed for the accident that killed one of its firefighters.
Austin Durn, by his personal representative Gail Duran, and Gail Duran, individually, filed a complaint Sept. 29 in Orange County Circuit Court against the City of Apopka, alleging wrongful death and negligence.
According to the plaintiff's complaint, on June 30, 2022, Austin Duran was at a building across from the fire station in the City of Apopka to attach a sand trailer to a hitch on a fire department vehicle. She claims that while attempting to move the sand trailer, Duran suffered serious injuries including asphyxiation, which resulted in his death.
The plaintiff alleges the trailer was defective and not properly maintained by the City and should not have been full of sand. She also alleges Duran, a first-time firefighter, had not received proper training and instruction and that the City had no safety procedures in place for use of the sand trailer equipment. She further alleges Duran was not given any warning regarding the hazard.
The plaintiff seeks monetary relief of more than $50,000, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Jon Lambe of The Law Office of Jon Lambe in Longwood.
Orange County Circuit Court case number 182862782