Joint lawsuit filed over deadly fire at FSU off-campus housing

Family of deceased, 14 injured plaintiffs sue over Nov. 2025 fire in Tallahassee

[Tallahassee, FL] – The family of a Florida State University student who died from the injuries he sustained in an off-campus apartment fire last year has joined 14 injured plaintiffs to file a lawsuit against several defendants, alleging their negligence contributed to the catastrophic blaze.

On November 19, 2025, a fire broke out in Building F at The Social Seminole Apartments, an off-campus complex located near Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. The lawsuit alleges that, because the building did not have functioning smoke detectors and fire safety equipment, those present in Building F only became aware of the fire when their units started to burn. FSU student Preetkumar “Preet” Harsoda, who lived on the third floor, suffered significant burns across a majority of his body and ultimately died from his injuries in December 2025. Mr. Harsoda’s estate is joined in the lawsuit by 14 surviving plaintiffs who allege a range of injuries, from mental trauma and burns to broken ankles and fractured vertebrae they allegedly suffered jumping out of second- and third-story windows to escape.

“This building was a ticking time bomb,” said Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney J. Ryan Will. “Our investigation has revealed a litany of alleged failures and oversights that led to a completely preventable catastrophe. A young man lost his life and more than a dozen other students have suffered life-altering injuries and trauma. It’s unconscionable to subject anyone to such allegedly unsafe living conditions, and we will hold all of the defendants accountable for their alleged failures to protect the residents and guests at The Social Seminole Apartments.” 

The attached complaint alleges the fire originated in a column of the building as a result of cosmetic damage to its façade that allowed individuals to improperly discard rubbish, including an item that smoldered and started the deadly fire. The lawsuit also claims several additional factors contributed to the fire and its deadly and injurious consequences, including the way the building was constructed, inoperable fire alarms, inoperable and improperly installed smoke detectors, poorly maintained fire extinguishers and windows that had been sealed shut. The plaintiffs also allege that a fire watch was mandated at the property after it failed a Tallahassee Fire Department inspection in 2024, and that a security company contracted to work on the property did not conduct that fire watch according to Florida Fire Prevention Code standards.

The lawsuit names a host of defendants: FMF Aqua-Arlington, LLC, FMF Aqua-Benton, LLC and FMF Aqua-Station, LLC, which own the building; Trinity Property Consultants, LLC and Red Tail Residential, LLC, which manage the property; life safety contractor A Twisted Pair, Inc.; Reiter Fire Protection; and security company Norwood Holdings, LLC. 

The case was filed in Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit Court in and for Leon County, Florida.