News Summary
A lawsuit filed by the widow of Irmo firefighter James Muller claims negligence by the City of Columbia and Richland County contributed to her husband’s death in a fire. Muller, only 25 years old, was trapped under debris during a catastrophic apartment fire. The legal action addresses communication failures and inadequate training that allegedly led to the tragedy. Muller was found after issuing multiple Mayday calls, which went unrecognized amid busy radio traffic. The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for the loss of a dedicated first responder.
Columbia, South Carolina – A lawsuit has been filed following the tragic death of Irmo firefighter James Muller, who was killed in an apartment fire on May 26, 2023. The lawsuit, initiated by Muller’s widow, Emma Muller, aims to hold the City of Columbia and Richland County responsible for alleged negligence that led to the firefighter’s death.
James Muller, just 25 years old at the time of his death, was married and the father of a young son. The fatal fire broke out at the Tropical Ridge Apartments near Riverbanks Zoo. The initial cause of the fire has been traced back to a grease fire in a second-floor kitchen.
During the fire response, Muller and three other firefighters were caught in a catastrophic collapse of the structure when two floors above them fell. According to the lawsuit, the use of powerful “deck guns” by the Columbia Fire Department to extinguish the blaze significantly contributed to this disaster. The lawsuit claims that these high-pressure water streams weakened the already compromised building structure.
Muller issued a Mayday call for assistance while trapped under debris. This call was reportedly lost amid the busy radio traffic and miscommunication at the fire scene. He suffered from “mechanical asphyxiation” after being trapped for approximately 45 minutes before he could be rescued.
The lawsuit alleges multiple failures including inadequate training and a lack of clear communication that contributed to Muller’s death. A report from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also highlighted critical communication failures during the incident.
The legal action was filed on April 23 and does not name the Irmo Fire District as a defendant, focusing instead on the actions of Columbia and Richland County emergency response agencies. The fire was classified as a two-alarm emergency, with Muller responding under an automatic aid agreement despite being outside the jurisdiction of the Irmo Fire District.
Structural issues at the Tropical Ridge Apartments had been documented previously, with incidents occurring in both 2013 and 2017. The apartments were constructed with lightweight materials, which allowed fires to spread rapidly, posing an increased risk of collapse within just five minutes of being exposed to flames. The lawsuit points to “open chimney chases” that facilitated the unrestricted spread of fire throughout the building.
Prior to Muller’s entry into the building, warnings regarding sagging floors had been issued, but there were failures in communicating this critical information to all supervising personnel. As events unfolded, a team from the Columbia Fire Department was mobilized to knock down walls above the area where Muller was operating while simultaneously using deck guns on the weakened structure.
Despite multiple Mayday calls being issued from both responding teams, Muller’s call went unrecognized for an extended period, delaying rescue efforts. A supervisor did confirm an active Mayday alert at approximately 5:07 p.m.; by then, most other firefighters had already been rescued. When Muller was finally located, a rescuer tunneled through the debris, but efforts to revive him through CPR were unsuccessful, and he was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The lawsuit filed by Emma Muller seeks compensatory damages for the loss of her husband, asserting negligence on the part of emergency response agencies involved in the incident. Both the Columbia-Richland Fire Department and Richland County have yet to comment significantly on the pending litigation; however, it is known that the South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited both organizations for various violations, amounting to a total of $3,600 in fines. The Irmo Fire District is currently contesting the fines.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Widow of Fallen Firefighter Files Lawsuit Against Columbia
Additional Resources
- WIS TV: Irmo Firefighter Lawsuit
- Wikipedia: Firefighter
- WLTX: James Muller Death Lawsuit
- Google Search: James Muller Irmo Firefighter
- The State: Irmo Firefighter News
- Google Scholar: Firefighter Negligence
- Firehouse: Union Questions Response
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Fire Safety
- Columbia Metro: A Fallen Hero
- Google News: Firefighter Lawsuit
