A wedding and the celebrations preceding the event are some of the most exciting milestones in many people's lives. This is true for residents of the Pittsburgh area as well as throughout the nation. Sadly, a celebration one bride and her friends were having went tragically wrong when the limousine they had rented for the bachelorette party caught on fire, trapping and ultimately killing five, including the bride.
Four other partygoers, along with the driver, survived the fatal accident. Though they all made it through the incident with their lives, the women suffered injuries connected with the inhalation of smoke. It is somewhat miraculous anyone survived the incident. According to witnesses, gigantic flames engulfed the vehicle and the heat from the fire could be felt by others who were in their cars.
The cause of the fire is not yet clear. Whether negligence on the part of the limousine company contributed to the incident will likely be determined in the course of an investigation.
In the meantime, all who knew and loved the women who died are likely stunned and trying to come to terms with their senseless deaths. Instead of a wedding, loved ones of the women who died will now be gathering for funerals instead. While a sudden, unexpected death is never easy to reconcile, many find it that much harder when someone else is to blame.
Should issues with the limousine be found to have led to the car fire, it is highly likely that wrongful death lawsuits will be filed against the limousine company.
Source: CNN, "Bride, 4 friends die in bachelorette limo," Dan Simon and Matt Smith, May 6, 2013