JUNEAU COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) -- A family's tragic cabin rental experience near Necedah is now the subject of a lawsuit against Airbnb. Stephen Kuehl and his family rented a cabin in June 2024, which resulted in a devastating fire that claimed the lives of six family members within 36 hours of their arrival.
Kuehl's lawsuit alleges the cabin was neither licensed nor inspected and lacked working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
"To have a little more time to get out, two minutes would have made all the difference," Kuehl said. "We had one, you know, it was a nightmare, and still is."
The Airbnb website indicates that rental properties with these safety devices should list them as amenities.
"Amenities are nice-to-have features in a home, a hot tub, a hair dryer," said Stacy Alexejun, Kuehl's attorney. "Smoke and fire detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are needs-to-have."
Kuehl's wife of 15 years, Charis, was among those who perished in the fire.
"Her name, Charis, means 'gift,' and she is very much a gift to everyone who knew her, especially us, her family," Kuehl said.
Their 5-year-old daughter, Stella, also lost her life in the fire.
"Her name means 'star,' and she shone brightly all five years she was here," Kuehl said.
Kuehl's father-in-law, sister-in-law, and her two daughters were also killed in the fire.
"It's not about bringing anyone back from the dead," said Kuehl. "It's about trying to protect human life that can easily be lost when there are things that can be done to save people that aren't done."
In September, the Juneau County District Attorney's Office decided not to pursue criminal charges against the homeowners. The lawsuit, initially filed in Juneau County, was moved to federal court. Generali, a party involved, filed a response on September 2, denying any liability and requesting dismissal from the complaint, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Alexejun said the homeowners recently responded to the complaint, claiming they lack knowledge or information about the cabin's licensing and inspection status.
Last week, Airbnb filed a motion to move the case to private arbitration. Kuehl has until November 19 to respond.
WKOW previously reached out to Airbnb's lawyer, who said the company is not commenting on pending litigation.
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