FDNY Firefighter Widow's Suit for Movie Set Fire Allowed

A wrongful death lawsuit brought by the widow of an FDNY firefighter against a movie production company can go forward, a judge ruled Thursday.

Lt. Michael Davidson died during a five-alarm fire at a Harlem walk-up last March, the New York Post reports. The lawsuit by Davidson's estate claims Class 5 Inc.—the film company behind "Motherless Brooklyn," which is directed by Edward Norton—altered the building during filming and created a hazard that resulted in the firefighter's death in a blazed caused by a boiler in the basement.

RELATED:

• FDNY Firefighter Killed in Five-Alarm Movie Set Fire
• FDNY Fire Marshal: LODD Probe was Rigged

A lawyer for Class 5 had asked a Manhattan to dismiss the case, arguing that the lawsuit's claims hadn't connected the fire to the film company, which did nothing wrong, according to the Post.

"Motherless Brooklyn" is set to be released in November.