Owner Liability for Fire Damage Despite Claim of No Fault

A person appealed a decision that held them liable for damages resulting from a fire that started in their building and spread to an adjacent property, arguing that the fire was caused by circumstances entirely outside of their control and that they were not at fault. The court dismissed the appeal, reasoning that liability for damages caused by a building fire is established under the relevant civil code provision by the mere fact of ownership or control of the building where the fire originated, unless the owner or possessor can prove the fire was caused by an external, unforeseeable, and irresistible force, or by the fault of the victim, neither of which was sufficiently established in this case.