The father of a San Diego college student who burned to death in a leased home that allegedly had inadequate smoke detectors has sued booking-company Tripadvisor and one of its subsidiaries.
Brad Schneider, father of the late Grant Schneider, a 22-year-old Mesa College student, is accusing the company, along with HolidayLettings.co.uk and Erin Hughes, the landlord of the Malibu property, of negligence regarding the Jan. 17 fire.
He filed the suit Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court. A Tripadvisor representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The younger Schneider’s short-term lease was booked through HolidayLettings, the suit states. The home had an inadequate number of smoke detectors and smoke detectors that were inoperable, according to the suit.
Tripadvisor and HolidayLettings “failed to disclose any information relating to whether they vetted the … property, thereby misrepresenting and/or concealing material facts and perpetuating an illusion that the property was safe, and inducing rental of the property which led to the decedent’s death,” the suit states.
The victim was unaware of the alleged lack of effective fire detectors, so when a blaze began he was unable to escape, the suit states.
According to a GoFundMe page, Grant Schneider died a month after turning 22 and planned to transfer to a local university to study business. He had a number of hobbies, including music, skateboarding and enjoying nature, from the beach to gardens.
– City News Service