New Jersey Town Settles Lawsuit from Fire That Killed 4

August 22, 2008

The Town of Teaneck, New Jersey has settled a lawsuit filed by the parents of four children who died in a house fire hours after firefighters checked on a report of smoke.

Howard and Philyss Seidenfeld will receive more than $2 million from the township and its insurance company. Neither Teaneck nor its fire department admit any wrongdoing.

Firefighters inspected the Seidenfeld home after Philyss Seidenfeld reported hearing a loud noise and smelling smoke in 2005. The fire department believed the boiler needed repairs.

The home was consumed by flames five hours later.

Four children, ages 4 to 15 perished. A neighbor rescued two others.

The family’s lawyer tells The Record of Bergen County money can’t make up for what happened, but the family can begin to move on.

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Information from: The Record of Bergen County