Stamford to 'Vigorously Defend' Christmas Day Fire Lawsuit

The is reportedly prepared to "vigorously defend" against a yet-to-be-filed , the father of the killed in the at his ex-wife 's Shippan Ave. home.

Joseph Capalbo, the city's director of legal affairs, told the Associated Press that "if and when a lawsuit is filed, the city will vigorously defend against the claims."

"While we believe the allegations against the city and its employees are baseless and without merit, we are mindful of the tragic loss suffered by the Badger family and continue to offer our deepest heartfelt sympathies," Capalbo told the AP.

According to the AP report, a notice of intent to sue filed Friday in the Stamford Clerk's office alleges that the city building officials failed to ensure safe living conditions during renovations — more specifically that they failed to ensure through inspections that the house had working smoke detectors. As a result, the notice claims, city officials allowed the house to become a "plain fire hazard."

The notice further alleges that city building officials should have known that the scope of work being carried out went beyond what was specified in the permits, and that people shouldn't have been living there as per current building code.

The notice also refers to the subsequent demolition of the house a day after the fire as "the intentional spoliation of evidence," according to the AP report.

To see all of Stamford Patch's coverage of the Christmas Day fire, click here.