2013 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 29 - Public Safety and State Police
Chapter 541 - Building, Fire and Demolition Codes. Fire Marshals and Fire Hazards. Safety of Public and Other Structures
Section 29-391 - (Formerly Sec. 19-389). Liability of owner of building.

In any case in which any person suffers injury or in which the death of any person ensues in consequence of the failure of the owner of any building to provide the same with fire escapes or stairways as required by the provisions of section 29-390 or in consequence of the failure of such owner to comply with any order of the Labor Commissioner, made in conformity to the provisions thereof, such owner shall be liable to any person so injured for damages for such injury; and, in case of death, such owner shall be liable in damages for the injury caused by the death of such person. It shall be no defense to any action for the recovery of such damages that the person injured or whose death ensued as aforesaid had knowledge that such building was not provided with fire escapes or stairways as required by said section or that such person continued to work in or to occupy such building with such knowledge. The owner of any building or, if such owner is non compos mentis or a minor, the guardian of such owner or, if such owner is a nonresident, the agent of such owner having charge of such property who fails to comply with the provisions of section 29-390 shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than three months or be both fined and imprisoned.

(1949 Rev., S. 4099; P.A. 02-89, S. 70.)

History: Sec. 19-389 transferred to Sec. 29-391 in 1983; P.A. 02-89 deleted references to Sec. 29-389, reflecting the repeal of said section by the same public act (Revisor’s note: A reference to “said sections” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “said section” to reflect the deletion of references to Sec. 29-389).

Exercise of control of fire escape by owner considered. 115 C. 440.

Owner not liable under this section unless he is aware that the building is being put to use described in section 19-386 (29-389). 7 CS 154. Building inspector not liable for failure to perform his duty. Id., 318.

Annotations to present section:

Cited. 229 C. 901. Cited. 231 C. 367.

Cited. 33 CA 422.