Ralph F. Gescat has filed a compelling lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco, its Housing Authority, and Eugene Burger Management Corporation, accusing them of gross negligence that led to a fatal fire. The complaint was lodged in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco on November 20, 2024. It centers around the tragic death of Richard Boyd Stapp Gescat in a January 25, 2023 fire at the Potrero Annex-Terrace housing complex.
The lawsuit paints a grim picture of neglect and mismanagement by the defendants. Ralph F. Gescat, acting as the personal representative for his late son’s estate, alleges that the conditions at Potrero Annex-Terrace had deteriorated significantly due to neglect by those responsible for its upkeep. According to court documents, buildings within the complex were plagued with broken windows, black mold growth, vermin infestations, and structural damage from previous fires that went unrepaired. Furthermore, crime was rampant within the complex; one manager from Eugene Burger Management was allegedly involved in an illegal rent scheme involving squatting tenants.
Plaintiff Ralph F. Gescat accuses the defendants of failing their duty to maintain safe living conditions at Potrero Annex-Terrace. The complaint states that despite being aware of these dangerous conditions through failed safety inspections—47 failures in January 2023 alone—the defendants did nothing to rectify them. This neglect is said to have directly contributed to making the buildings highly susceptible to fires like the one that claimed Richard Gescat's life.
Gescat seeks both general and special damages exceeding jurisdictional limits for pain and suffering endured by his son before his death as well as funeral expenses incurred thereafter. Additionally, he requests punitive damages against Eugene Burger Management Corporation for their alleged willful misconduct and disregard for safety standards.
Representing Ralph F. Gescat are attorneys David W. Gammill and Zack V. Muljat from Gammill Law APC based in Manhattan Beach, California. The case is presided over by Judge Sahar Enayati under Case ID CGC-24-619938.