A South Baltimore religious celebration that turned into a fiery disaster has now produced a multimillion-dollar courtroom reckoning. A Baltimore judge has ordered more than $3 million in damages for worshippers burned when a bonfire exploded at the Shri Radha Govind Pashupatinath Temple in January 2024. Seven people were injured in the blast, including a toddler who has undergone multiple surgeries and been left with severe scarring. A bench ruling this month assigned financial responsibility for the injuries to select temple leaders and entities.
The case was led by attorney Gloria A. Worch. In a press release, the plaintiffs' lawyers said a bench ruling last Thursday produced a verdict of $3,004,535 against two defendants, according to a repost of the firm's announcement on CityBiz. The materials outline claims by four burn victims, including the young child with life-altering injuries, and describe the firm's view that the award is intended to help cover long-term medical and supportive care.
How the fire started
The blaze broke out on January 14, 2024, during a harvest festival at the temple in South Baltimore. According to contemporaneous reporting by CBS Baltimore, strong winds prompted someone to pour gasoline onto an outdoor bonfire. The accelerant reportedly caused the fire to flash and spray flames and debris into nearby worshippers, triggering a rush of ambulances and fire crews to the scene.
The lawsuit and the verdict
Four burn victims and one spouse sued the temple and its officers, accusing organizers of gross negligence for building and fueling an open bonfire without barriers and then adding a liquid accelerant. The plaintiffs contended that the accelerant caused an explosion that burned attendees and led to extensive medical treatment. The plaintiffs' press release and subsequent statements to the media, summarized in the CityBiz posting of the firm's announcement, argue that the verdict reflects the severity of the injuries and the long-term impact on the families involved.
Bankruptcy and recovery
One defendant, temple founder Srivash Das, has filed for Chapter 13 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland, triggering an automatic stay that pauses civil collection efforts against him. The Maryland Daily Record reported that a judge recently rejected his proposed repayment plan but allowed him to submit a revised version, and that temple members contributed about $4,860 to a GoFundMe that described the gasoline pour as "a very big mistake." Those financial twists create real uncertainty about when and how the plaintiffs might actually see money from the verdict.
Legal implications
The child's award makes up the bulk of the judgment and, according to plaintiffs' counsel, includes a $1.5 million component for noneconomic harm that will be subject to Maryland's statutory cap. "Her face was literally on fire when (her parents) turned around," Worch told the Record, describing the child's multiple surgeries and anticipated need for indefinite care. That state cap, which Worch said limits noneconomic recovery to $935,000 for the minor's claim, will be a central factor as the parties and the bankruptcy court work through collection issues and final payouts.
For now, the legal and financial fallout remains tied up in Baltimore's civil courts and the bankruptcy process. Plaintiffs' lawyers say they plan to press collection where legally possible, while the affected families focus on long-term medical care and recovery. Appeals, bankruptcy plan negotiations, and post-judgment motions could stretch the timeline for any full recovery into the distant future.
