LAWSUIT FILED: EXPEDIA/VRBO RENTS THOUSANDS OF PROPERTIES THAT VIOLATE ITS OWN FIRE-SAFETY RULES. DOMINICAN RENTAL FIRE KILLS 4 FROM MASSACHUSETTS FAMILY; SUIT ALLEGES SYSTEMIC PLATFORM FAILURE
SEATTLE, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Families from Massachusetts affected by a deadly fire at a vacation rental in Barahona, Dominican Republic have filed a civil lawsuit in King County Superior Court against Expedia Inc., Expedia Group, Inc., HomeAway.com, Inc., and VRBO Holdings, Inc. Case #: 26-2-30948-5 SEA
This trip was meant to be a joyful family getaway and a chance for three generations to return to the Dominican Republic, the country of their birth, with the highlight being the christening of two young children. Instead, in the early morning hours of June 13, 2026, a fire engulfed the family's vacation rental. Four people died, including a five-year-old child, and other family members suffered severe and lasting injuries.
The Complaint alleges Defendants market their platform as safe and trustworthy, but do not enforce their own "Safety Essentials" instructions to hosts to install hardwired, interconnected smoke detectors outside all bedrooms and sleeping areas. VRBO's guest-facing "Our commitment to trust and safety" page makes no mention or warning of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire safety, or the platform's own safety essentials guidance.
It further alleges Defendants' booking and listing system was intentionally designed so that critical safety information (such as a host's self-disclosed "No smoke detector") is placed in a secondary "Safety" subsection, and the booking flow allows consumers to complete payment without being required to view or acknowledge that disclosure. The lawsuit alleges Defendants did not employ filters, warning banners, interstitial screens, or other meaningful point-of booking safety notices to alert travelers when a listing disclosed it lacked a smoke detector.
The Complaint also alleges this is not an isolated problem. VRBO continues to list thousands of accommodations for rent that it knows - because hosts have disclosed to VRBO - do not contain any smoke detectors. Forty days after the fire, Plaintiffs' counsel conducted searches of VRBO listings in multiple Dominican Republic locations and found that the vast majority of available properties did not list smoke detectors, indicating approximately 80% of listings reviewed were "potential death traps" with no smoke detectors. A follow-up search found that approximately 66% of listings reviewed still lacked smoke detectors.
A quote from Louis Farrah, Esq., attorney for the family:Â "A family of four is gone because an apartment was listed on the VRBO platform that had no smoke detectors, and Defendants knew it. That's not an accident. That's a choice made for profit, at the cost of four lives," said Louis J. Farrah, Esq., of Farrah Law, counsel for Plaintiffs. "And it hasn't stopped. Right now, VRBO has 2.5 million properties listed, and despite VRBO's "Safety Essentials" instructions to its hosts to install hardwired, interconnected smoke detectors outside all bedrooms and sleeping areas, VRBO continues to list thousands of accommodations for rent that it knows - because hosts have disclosed to VRBO - do not contain any smoke detectors. This family is fighting so that no other family has to bury someone they love because a company wouldn't make something as basic as a smoke detector a requirement to list a home."
About Farrah Law:
Farrah Law is a Boston trial firm representing plaintiffs in personal injury, wrongful death, and complex civil litigation matters in state and federal courts. With more than 60 years of combined experience, the firm's attorneys handle cases spanning motor vehicle and premises liability claims to commercial, real estate, and construction disputes. Led by attorneys Albert Farrah and Louis J. Farrah II, the firm is known for its client-focused approach and record of successful outcomes for injured individuals and their families. The firm is located on 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 2101, Boston, MA 02114.Â
About Meehan Boyle, a Keches Law Firm:
Based in Boston, Meehan Boyle, a Keches Law Firm, is a premier litigation practice dedicated to advocating for victims of catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful death across Massachusetts. Established in 1985, the firm's seasoned litigators have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars via verdicts and legal settlements for injury victims and grieving loved ones, earning a distinguished reputation at the forefront of the commonwealth's legal community. Meehan Boyle operates out of 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 2101, Boston, MA 02114. For more information, visit www.meehanboyle.com/
Attorneys for Plaintiffs: Albert Farrah and Louis J. Farrah, Farrah & Farrah, P.C. (Boston, MA)Â Leo V. Boyle, and Jeremy M. Carroll, Meehan Boyle, a Keches Law Firm (Boston, MA)
Local Co-Counsel: Maria Diamond, Diamond-Massong (Seattle, Washington)
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