Faulty Air Spring Caused Bay Area Fatal Limousine Fire

Investigators stated that a faulty air spring caused the Bay Area limousine fire that killed five women who were out celebrating a nurse’s wedding.

California Highway Patrol investigators have worked on the charred vehicle to determine the cause of the fiery accident. During their investigation they found that air springs in the rear of the limo ruptured while the women were out celebrating. This rupture triggered a series of events that led to the fatal fire.

Reports stated that four women were able to escape the fire and death by escaping through the front of the limo that was quickly engulfed in flames that night. Unfortunately, five others were unable to escape the limo in time and died in the fire, including the new bride.

Witnesses told officials that the rear end of the Lincoln Towncar limo was very low to the ground as it made an attempt to cross the San Mateo Bridge on the night of May 4.

A permit issued to the limo allowed for a total of eight passengers aboard, not nine. This excess weight may have caused the air springs that carry the weight of the car to rupture.

“So when one of them has a rupture on it, the whole car drops down, basically on the tires,” Yusef Mustafa, who owns a garage that services limousines, told reporters.

When the weight of a vehicle rests on the tires, a significant amount of friction is created and in turn creates heat. Mustafa told reporters that the combination of friction that was created by the tire against the gas tank could have sparked the flames.

Investigators continue to delve deeper into the case. And now that the cause of the fire is known, CHP investigators and the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office will have to determine whether there was any criminal negligence in the limo’s maintenance.

If there was any negligence in the vehicle’s maintenance, the group that operates the limo service may be held liable for the deaths of the women.

A wrongful death is difficult to go through. Family members and loved ones of the person who died because of someone else’s negligence never get a chance to say goodbye.

If your family member or loved one was killed in an auto accident because of someone else’s negligence, then call a Los Angeles wrongful death attorney. You may be eligible for compensation that may cover the costs associated with someone’s death.

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