The first lawsuits for the victims of Sunday’s deadly fire are underway. Lawyers claim the tragedy at the Twin Parks apartment building was preventable and are seeking billions in damages.

Jessika Valdez says she is grateful she made it out of her 18th-floor apartment alive, but is too scared to return to her home of 15 years. She is one of at least a dozen tenants signing on to a pair of lawsuits against the city and landlords past and present, each seeking $1 billion for the victims. 

Lawyers claim Sunday’s fire, which killed 17 people, was the result of negligence. Attorney Robert Vilensky is representing those filing suit for the Twin Parks tragedy, a case he says is reminiscent of the deadly Belmont fire in 2017. He also represented victims in that case.

FDNY officials say the apartment where Sunday’s fire started had a door that should have closed on its own, but it malfunctioned. 

In response to the lawsuits, the current landlords tell News 12,  “We are devastated by this terrible tragedy and are cooperating fully with the Fire Department and other agencies as they continue to investigate."