A man was lounging in the steam room of a Colorado Springs gym in 2023 when a broken steam pipe exploded, burning nearly a third of his body and ultimately killing him, according to a lawsuit.
The wrongful death lawsuit filed by the man’s family against 24 Hour Fitness claims the gym knew the spout was malfunctioning before the explosion that landed David Diaz in the hospital, where he received more than $900,000 in medical care who could not save his life.
“24 Hour Fitness knew or should have known that these actions were dangerous, carried out carelessly and recklessly, without regard to the consequences, or the rights and safety of others, especially Mr. Diaz, and that the actions had a high probability to injury, the lawsuit says.
The company declined to comment on the lawsuit in an email to the Post.
Diaz visited the gym at 1892 Southgate Road on January 13, 2023. As he entered the steam room, hot steam erupted from the broken spout, burning the front of Diaz’s body and causing him to fall to the ground.
His mouth, throat, arms and torso were burned and blistered when he was seen by emergency room doctors that day. Diaz’s organs began to shut down as the burns became infected, and he was pronounced dead eleven days after the explosion.
Diaz’s relatives are seeking an unspecified amount of damages from the gym, which they also accuse of gross negligence. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in El Paso District Court.
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