William Melroy Des Moines Fire: Legal Claims Available to Family?

We have over 25 years of experience representing victims of fire safety negligence and security failures across the United States, and we have recovered nearly $250 million dollars for our Clients. Read Our Legal Take below to find out what legal options are available to William Melroy’s family.

William Melroy Dies From Injuries After Apartment Fire in Des Moines, IA. (WHO13.com)

Des Moines, IA NEWS – An apartment fire Tuesday morning, June 10, 2025, tragically claimed one life.

As reported by KCCI.com, “fire crews were called to a fire at an apartment building in the 3700 block of 57th Street around 6 a.m. Tuesday.”

WHO13.com is reporting, “[w]hen firefighters arrived at the scene they found an adult male, identified as 63-year-old William Melroy, inside his unit fighting the fire.”

According to the report, “Melroy was injured and transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. He was later airlifted to the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center’s Burn Unit. On Wednesday afternoon, the DMPD announced that Melroy succumbed to his injuries overnight.”

Fire inspectors continue to investigate the cause of the fire.

Potential Legal Claims for Family of William Melroy?

Our Legal Take

FORMER CLIENT: I had lawyers calling me, and friends telling me who I should hire…I trusted in The Murray Law Firm and I’m glad I did.

As authorities continue their investigation, premises liability attorneys with The Murray Law Firm question whether a lack of security or fire safety measures at the complex may have contributed to this incident.

What fire safety measures, such as working smoke detectors, fire sprinklers and emergency exits, were in place and working at the time of the fire?
When was the last fire inspection performed on the property?
Were any safety measures added after any previous inspections?
Was the property owner aware of any inadequate fire safety measures present prior to the fire?

As details of this fire continue to emerge, The Murray Law Firm suggests that it is possible that the apartment complex failed to undertake proper safety measures to protect those residents and guests legally on the premises. Under certain State law, the owner and management company of an apartment complex have a duty to protect residents and to keep the premises safe. If the owner or manager fails in this duty, they may be held civilly liable for any injuries or wrongful deaths that occur as a consequence. Should the apartment complex be found at fault, the family of William Melroy may elect to hold the owner and management company civilly liable for their loss and suffering.

As insurance companies and unscrupulous property owners are often concerned with limiting their financial exposure in these incidents, it is crucial that the family of William Melroy retain an experienced premises liability firm as soon as possible to ensure all evidence, such as a faulty fire alarm or a poor evacuation plan, is preserved and the family’s best interests are protected. The Murray Law Firm has extensive experience in premises liability and apartment negligence cases, such as this, and we offer our legal expertise, if needed.

If anyone has information to share, or if anyone is seeking information regarding this incident, please contact us at 888.842.1616. You can also read similar potential cases in the Legal Take section of our site.

Successful Legal Outcomes in Similar Cases.

OUR RESULTS: NEARLY $250 MILLION IN VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS FOR OUR CLIENTS

The Murray Law Firm has a long history of representing victims of property and security negligence. We have obtained nearly $250 Million in verdicts and settlements for our Clients, including:

A $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property.
Settlement in excess of $10 million dollars for a victim of gun violence at an apartment complex.
Settlement in excess of $10 million dollars for a family who lost a loved one to gun violence at a commercial property.

We offer our legal assistance, if desired. We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888-842-1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

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DISCLAIMERS: The information contained in this post is from secondary sources and may therefore contain inaccuracies. We will gladly correct or remove this post upon request. The material contained in this post is not intended to constitute legal advice. As each Client is unique, please contact us for a free consultation on your particular case. “Contingent attorneys’ fees” refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.