Lawsuits filed against Conception dive boat owner claim charging stations caused fatal fire

Four more lawsuits were announced Monday in the deadly Conception dive boat fire off the Ventura County coast in California, alleging that ion lithium battery charging stations were to blame. 

The litigation was announced at a morning news conference at the Los Angeles office of the Panish, Shea & Boyle law firm. The L.A.-based firm has teamed up with maritime lawyers from Philadelphia-based Saltz, Mongeluzzi, Barrett & Bendesky. 

“Today we have filed claims on behalf of four of the victims who were killed in this terrible tragedy. They are Allie Kurtz, Yulia Krashennaya, Kaustbh Nirmal and Sanjeeri Deopujari. Their families have asked us to do two things: to find out what happened and to make sure it never happens again,” said Robert Mongeluzzi, the firm’s founder. 

The risk of fire with these charging stations, particularly on older, wooden and fiberglass ships is an ongoing danger, Mongeluzzi said. The claims allege the boat fire was started in or near the galley, which is where these ion lithium battery charging strips would have been located. 

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