The Future of Gender Reveal Parties Goes Up In Smoke
People seem to love gender reveal parties. Over the past few years, they’ve become more and more popular. Fueled by social media likes and viral videos, gender reveals have become events, and it feels like some families simply want to outdo each other.
We’ve seen gender reveal cakes, confetti cannons, pinatas, tire burnouts (really), and paint guns (ouch). However, on September 5, one family took the gender reveal tradition to an extreme, which led to a destructive, lethal and ongoing wildfire in El Dorado, California. According to the New York Times, a family had gathered at El Dorado Ranch Park to reveal a baby’s gender in an elaborate fashion, including a “smoke-generating pyrotechnic device,” when something went wrong and the device ignited a wildfire.
One firefighter died battling the blaze on September 17, which has burned more than 22,700 acres so far and is not yet 100% contained. District Attorney Jason Anderson has indicated he won’t be considering bringing charges until an investigation is completed, but he did say, “I want to assure people that this is very forefront in our minds. The El Dorado Fire is affecting many residents in the San Bernardino community, and the seriousness of the situation is not being overlooked.”
This is not the first time a gender reveal party started a wildfire. Back in 2018, an Arizona gender reveal party ended up igniting a fire that burned through more than 45,000 acres and resulted in eight million dollars in damages. Perhaps this most recent incident in California will put an end to this dangerous practice.
Can I sue someone if I get hurt at one of these parties?
This is a complicated question and really depends on the situation. However, if we use the Arizona gender reveal party as a basis, you can likely hold somebody responsible for negligence. In the case of the Arizona Sawmill gender reveal fire, the person responsible, Dennis Dickey, was charged with a misdemeanor violation of United States Forest Service regulations.
Dickey did immediately report the fire and admit he had caused it, with great regret. However, that does not absolve him of negligence and using an explosive in an area risky for wildfires. He was sentenced to pay more than eight million dollars in restitution and five years of probation.
If anyone had been injured in that fire, however, he likely would have faced civil suits for burn injuries or wrongful death, along with any associated criminal penalties. Fortunately, no one lost their life in the Sawmill Fire.
The burn injury attorneys at Larson Law Firm, P.C. urge our clients to act with care when celebrating family milestones. If you or a loved one suffer injury due to someone else’s negligence, we can help hold the right people responsible. To arrange a free consultation, call us in Minot or Bismarck today at 701.484.HURT or complete our contact form.
Mark Larson is a Certified Civil Trial Specialist and Certified Civil Pre-Trial Specialist focusing on personal injury, car accidents, wrongful death, and oil field claims. Since 1979, Larson Law Firm has served the injured throughout North Dakota. Read more about Mark V. Larson.