Multiple large gas lines exist under streets in Irvine, including adjacent to The Meadows Manufactured Home Community. How safe are residents because of this?
The news has been filed with pictures, images and stories about the disastrous gas explosion and fires in San Bruno, a suburb just south of San Francisco. At least four residents were killed and many homes destroyed. Here's a link to one story in the SF Chronicle. http://tinyurl.com/2fa4a6v
Twice in the past two years, gas lines adjacent to The Meadows have ruptured because of City and Contractor negligence during the Jeffrey Road Underpass construction project. On both occasions, residents were evacuated. More recently, four months ago Contractor negligence led to a disastrous fire that destroyed two large trailers in a storage area and damaged many more. The burned out hulks of those two trailers still sit there as a grim reminder of this fire.
What is the City and management of The Meadows doing to ensure residents' safety? Has the City increased any inspections or required the contractor SEMA to more rigorously enforce safety rules?
Has the City or anyone demanded that the state Public Utilities Commission order all gas line companies -- not just PG&E (the owner of the San Bruno lines) -- to inspect and re-certify all gas lines? The state did issue such an order to PG&E but that company is only active in Northern California. See a copy of the PUC's Order dated Monday, September 13 to PG&E - http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/events/sanbruno.htm. In other words, the PUC is ignoring non-PG&E gas lines in areas such as Irvine.
Has the City done anything to more rigorously ensure resident safety because of the multiple large gas lines adjacent to The Meadows?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Meadows Fire - Zurich Insurance To The Rescue
At the Meadows Homeowners Association meeting last night, there was little else discussed than the fire and the Jeffrey Road Underpass project. Even Mayor Sukhee Kang was there to express his regret over the fire. More than 100 residents attended the meeting.
All reports agree that liability has been accepted by SEMA, the general contractor, and its insurance company Zurich American Insurance Co. was flying out to Orange County a special adjuster to deal with the claims. There will be an "appraiser" and claims handling person contacting those residents who suffered losses, and this team will inspect any homes or property near the fire.
Don't expect miracles. Zurich is one of the biggest insurers around and specializes in liability insurance for large contractors. Take a look at their website, http://www.zurichna.com/zna/home/welcome.htm. Companies like Zurich don't get that way being liberal in paying claims, and you can expect the adjuster to be very tight-fisted.
One tactic used by insurers is the "low-ball" offer. The adjuster looks at the claim and immediately offers a sum of money that he (or she) knows is inadequate, but promises to give you a check today. He or she will always be prepared to offer more if you the claimant hold out for it. Just don't fall for the trap of accepting the first offer.
If you lost property in the fire, you are entitled to recover the fair market value of that property. For example, a complete functioning but used travel trailer should be valued at what it would sell for on the market. A 2005 travel trailer that burns is worth for claim purposes what the same 2005 travel trailer would sell for as a used trailer at retail. Don't let the adjuster give you any false tales about "depreciation," or "betterment" or "wholesale value" or any such nonsense.
Also don't let the adjuster try to claim there's any issue about liability. This case is what lawyers often term a "slam-dunk" against the contractor. The insurance company is required to step up to the plate and pay such claims without hassling the claimants.
You can help your case by looking up online the current values of destroyed property. Even Kelley Blue Book has an RV section for trailers -- http://www.ehow.com/how_2095339_price-trailer-kelley-blue-book.html, and don't forget all the many items inside the trailer that were destroyed.
Keep track of your discussions with the adjuster, and confirm anything he or she promises in writing. For example, if she says she needs to talk to her home office, send her a letter (or an Email) confirming the conversation and any agreements reached.
If there are any problems dealing with Zurich, you can always file a complaint with the Department of Insurance. You can find details about how to do that on the DOI's website, http://www.insurance.ca.gov/contact-us/0200-file-complaint/index.cfm
All reports agree that liability has been accepted by SEMA, the general contractor, and its insurance company Zurich American Insurance Co. was flying out to Orange County a special adjuster to deal with the claims. There will be an "appraiser" and claims handling person contacting those residents who suffered losses, and this team will inspect any homes or property near the fire.
Don't expect miracles. Zurich is one of the biggest insurers around and specializes in liability insurance for large contractors. Take a look at their website, http://www.zurichna.com/zna/home/welcome.htm. Companies like Zurich don't get that way being liberal in paying claims, and you can expect the adjuster to be very tight-fisted.
One tactic used by insurers is the "low-ball" offer. The adjuster looks at the claim and immediately offers a sum of money that he (or she) knows is inadequate, but promises to give you a check today. He or she will always be prepared to offer more if you the claimant hold out for it. Just don't fall for the trap of accepting the first offer.
If you lost property in the fire, you are entitled to recover the fair market value of that property. For example, a complete functioning but used travel trailer should be valued at what it would sell for on the market. A 2005 travel trailer that burns is worth for claim purposes what the same 2005 travel trailer would sell for as a used trailer at retail. Don't let the adjuster give you any false tales about "depreciation," or "betterment" or "wholesale value" or any such nonsense.
Also don't let the adjuster try to claim there's any issue about liability. This case is what lawyers often term a "slam-dunk" against the contractor. The insurance company is required to step up to the plate and pay such claims without hassling the claimants.
You can help your case by looking up online the current values of destroyed property. Even Kelley Blue Book has an RV section for trailers -- http://www.ehow.com/how_2095339_price-trailer-kelley-blue-book.html, and don't forget all the many items inside the trailer that were destroyed.
Keep track of your discussions with the adjuster, and confirm anything he or she promises in writing. For example, if she says she needs to talk to her home office, send her a letter (or an Email) confirming the conversation and any agreements reached.
If there are any problems dealing with Zurich, you can always file a complaint with the Department of Insurance. You can find details about how to do that on the DOI's website, http://www.insurance.ca.gov/contact-us/0200-file-complaint/index.cfm
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Disastrous Fire Pictures
Here are pictures of the disastrous fire at the RV storage lot at the Meadows Manufactured Home park on Jeffrey Road in Irvine. Two RVs were completely destroyed, one a large motor home owned by the Jaramillo family, the other a trailer for a race car and its accessories. This fire took place Friday afternoon, April 30, at about 1:00 pm. Multiple OC Fire Authority trucks responded.
Widespread reports are that an acetylene torch being used by a Contractor to remove sound barriers erected during the Jeffrey Road Underpass project ignited cypress trees, which in turn ignited the cloth covered barriers themselves. Because of the high winds the fire quickly spread to the RVs. The City refuses to say yet what caused the fire.
Two other RVs were reported damaged.
Cinders and ash from the fire were found as far as a quarter-mile away, threatening dozens of nearby homes belonging to senior residents of the Meadows park.
Will the City promptly acknowledge its responsibility and that of its contractor for this fire? Are the residents who suffered grievous losses going to need to go through a prolonged "investigation" so the City can delay paying out proper compensation? Or, will the City try to blame the contractor and create more delay while all the insurance companies hassle over this disaster?
The City was supposed to have an Inspector on hand and present during all construction activities. Where was he and why did he permit torch-cutting during the high winds prevailing Friday afternoon?
Friday, April 30, 2010
Now I'm a News Media Guy -- More Meadows Disasters
Several weeks ago I decided that I should become an official news media guy and post online stuff about what's going on in the City of Irvine where I live, about my photography interests, and maybe rake a little muck. Among other ongoing events, I plan to write more vigorously about the disastrous Jeffrey Road Underpass construction project in Irvine. I'm also going to look closely at local and state governments' restrictions on photography that plainly violate the First Amendment of the Constitution.
The latest episode here in Irvine is a fire today at the Meadows Manufactured Home Community that destroyed two Recreational Vehicles -- one a large motor home and another a trailer used to carry race cars -- and damaged at least two others. This is the fourth such disaster at the construction site and was caused by the City's and its contractor SEMA's incompetence. One of a SEMA or subcontractor's employees was using a welding torch for cutting metal on the sound barrier along the track on this blustery, windy day, and his torch caught on fire the barrier, which spread to the RV storage area and vehicles there.
Observers noted that it was just luck or divine providence that embers from the fire did not spread to the Homes. One such ember was found 100 feet away from the fire in a resident's front yard.
Previous disasters have included two major gas leaks caused by contractors breaking gas lines, both of which caused evacuations of nearby residents' homes.
An additional recent disaster has been the damage to numerous homes, including cracks, de-leveling, extreme dust, and related damage directly caused by the construction activity. The City instead of protecting its elderly and low-income residents in this instance, is deliberately delaying the claims that have been submitted.
Residents have also complained that the company which manages The Meadows seems to always join with the City instead of more vigorously protecting its residents. Jamboree Housing's chief operating officer Mary Jo Goelzer in quotes to the Orange County Register defends the City of Irvine's requirement that Meadows residents submit formal claims and the City must investigate. May we ask, what investigation is necessary? Doesn't the City believe the residents? Does the City think the Residents are submitting fraudulent claims?
There's more to this story, and we'll post additional points as it develops, including photographs.
Send me an Email at dc1999@gmail.com if you'd like to add anything.
The latest episode here in Irvine is a fire today at the Meadows Manufactured Home Community that destroyed two Recreational Vehicles -- one a large motor home and another a trailer used to carry race cars -- and damaged at least two others. This is the fourth such disaster at the construction site and was caused by the City's and its contractor SEMA's incompetence. One of a SEMA or subcontractor's employees was using a welding torch for cutting metal on the sound barrier along the track on this blustery, windy day, and his torch caught on fire the barrier, which spread to the RV storage area and vehicles there.
Observers noted that it was just luck or divine providence that embers from the fire did not spread to the Homes. One such ember was found 100 feet away from the fire in a resident's front yard.
Previous disasters have included two major gas leaks caused by contractors breaking gas lines, both of which caused evacuations of nearby residents' homes.
An additional recent disaster has been the damage to numerous homes, including cracks, de-leveling, extreme dust, and related damage directly caused by the construction activity. The City instead of protecting its elderly and low-income residents in this instance, is deliberately delaying the claims that have been submitted.
Residents have also complained that the company which manages The Meadows seems to always join with the City instead of more vigorously protecting its residents. Jamboree Housing's chief operating officer Mary Jo Goelzer in quotes to the Orange County Register defends the City of Irvine's requirement that Meadows residents submit formal claims and the City must investigate. May we ask, what investigation is necessary? Doesn't the City believe the residents? Does the City think the Residents are submitting fraudulent claims?
There's more to this story, and we'll post additional points as it develops, including photographs.
Send me an Email at dc1999@gmail.com if you'd like to add anything.
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