Jon Bird, a man who was sprayed in the face with a fire extinguisher, is building a case against his attacker and is pursuing a lawsuit.
The incident was seen by over 130,000 people in a video on social media — Alex Jamison, a Salt Lake City business owner, sprays Bird directly in the face with a fire extinguisher.
Bird was smoking on the street when he was asked by Jamison to put out his cigarette. He moved away from Jamison and began smoking another cigarette. Jamison walked up to Bird again with a fire extinguisher in hand and asked him to put out his second cigarette. When Bird said no, Jamison sprayed him with the fire extinguisher.
The chemicals in fire extinguishers are safe when used properly, however, direct contact and inhalation can result in injury and illness. A person who inhales or ingests the spray from a fire extinguisher may suffer from pneumonia, respiratory issues, kidney failure, seizures, or skin irritation. Symptoms of chemical exposure from a fire extinguisher may include an irregular heartbeat, headache, dizziness, coughing, and trouble breathing.
Bird said he was told he was allowed to smoke on the street by a security guard, despite Utah’s laws against smoking near businesses. The incident occurred in a city area near a parking garage and restaurants.
Jamison allegedly left the scene before police responded. He could be charged for misdemeanor assault, and lost his ownership of three restaurants because of the incident.
Attorney Christian Burridge of Pearson Butler is representing Bird, and plans on filing a lawsuit on behalf of the client within the next two weeks. Bird’s injuries have not been reported, but he was described as “not fine” by Burridge, according to KUTV.
Were you injured because of the negligence or malice of another person? Contact Pearson Butler to schedule a free case evaluation with our legal team — complete our contact form or call (800) 265-2314.
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