Case centered on gross negligence resulting in a bonfire explosion at a festival that resulted in burns and serious injuries for the plaintiffs
Baltimore, MD – Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. today announced that it has won a more than $3 million verdict in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City on behalf of four plaintiffs, including a minor who suffered life altering injuries, including serious burns, as a result of negligence resulting in a bonfire explosion at a festival.
The personal injury litigation was led by attorney Gloria A. Worch and focused on injuries suffered by the plaintiffs when they attended a festival on January 14, 2024 at a temple in Baltimore City with an outdoor bonfire. The organizers of the festival were found to be negligent in failing to provide reasonable care in constructing and lighting a bonfire during dangerously windy conditions with no barriers to help protect the festival attendees from the flames. In an effort to enhance the fire, the defendants added a liquid accelerant to the bonfire causing a violent explosion resulting in the flames burning out of control and injuring festival attendees who were standing near the bonfire.
The four plaintiffs in the litigation received serious injuries, including a 3-year-old girl who suffered primarily third-degree burns to her face and body, requiring numerous surgeries, as well as the need for ongoing painful future medical treatments. She has been horribly disfigured.
On February 19, 2026, Judge Dana M. Middleton rendered a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City in the amount of $3,004,535 against two of the three defendants, (Sunder Govind Das and Brahm Madhya Gaudiya Vaishnav Society, Inc. d/b/a Shri Radha Govind Pashupatinath Temple). The third defendant, Srivash Das, filed a petition for bankruptcy with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland, which triggered an automatic stay as to the claims filed against him.
“We take great pride as a team in winning this important verdict on behalf of our clients as we help them secure the resources they need to rebuild their lives and afford the medical services they need following this catastrophic event,” said Jonathan Schochor, Founding Partner and Chairman at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. “We are honored to provide our clients and their families with an important sense of closure in holding those institutions responsible for their negligent actions.”
“As a result of negligence, the plaintiffs in this case have suffered a horrific ordeal including the need for ongoing medical care in dealing with life-changing injuries to a minor,” said Gloria A. Worch, Attorney at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. “We hope this verdict can help change their lives for the better moving forward while also reflecting our firm’s vital mission in seeking justice for those who have suffered serious injuries due to the negligence of others.”
About Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A.
Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A., has been fighting for patients’ rights as a leading medical malpractice law firm since 1984. Additionally, the firm is a recognized leader in sexual abuse cases as well as class action and mass tort litigation. Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. has offices in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Its lawyers are licensed to practice in Maryland and the District of Columbia, and they have been specially admitted on a case-by-case basis by courts in Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, North Carolina, West Virginia and other states. On special motion and with approval of courts elsewhere, Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea’s lawyers are available to participate in cases throughout the United States. To learn more, call 1-888-234-0001 or visit: sfspa.com.