A family that was forced to move out of their home when a neighbor blew up his multi-million dollar East Side New York townhouse, killing himself and demolishing their house in the process, is suing the man’s estate.
According to court papers, Michael and Ann Conry’s neighboring apartment and its contents were demolished when their neighbor’s house exploded on June 10, 2006. Michael Conry, his wife, and their young son were forced to move to an apartment a few blocks away, said Jeremy E. Deutsch, their lawyer.
Only a narrow driveway and a single wall separated their apartment from Bartha’s estate.
Dr. Nicholas Bartha, 66, was seriously burned in the blast. He died five days later.
Authorties say Bartha caused the explosion to destroy his house so that his wife – who he was in the process of divorcing – would not benefit from its sale.
According to Deutsch, none of the family was injured because no one was home, but the apartment and many of their possessions, including china, antique furniture, and family pictures were destroyed.
The lawsuit claims that the explosion caused damage to their apartment’s walls, floors, ceilings, and windows, rendering the place uninhabitable.
The lawsuit names Bartha’s estate, and his daughter, Maria Serena Bartha, who is the estate’s administrator, as defendants.
The Conrys seek unspecified damages. They claim that Bartha was “reckless, careless and negligent and acted with wanton disregard” when he blew up his house.
This is the fourth known lawsuit filed against the Bartha Estate since the blast.