Somewhere on the left side of the house is where the fire originated. There was never any question about that. What really ignited it is what everyone has been debating for the past four years. The youngest sister of Tyrese Maxey was the first to notice an odor coming from the rented house in Voorhees, New Jersey, on Christmas Eve in 2021. The smoke followed, followed by the flames rising from beneath the garage door, the 911 call, and a protracted period of time during which a peaceful suburban property turned into a footnote in NBA news cycles and, ultimately, a federal court filing.
The only thing that mattered, according to Maxey, who was twenty-one at the time and still getting used to being a Sixer, was that no one was harmed. “Everything else can be replaced,” he informed reporters. He seemed to mean it, even though it was the kind of thing that professional athletes are taught to say following tragedies. His landlords would later contend that neither the Maserati GranTurismo parked inside the garage nor the house could be easily replaced.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Player Involved | Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers guard |
| Date of Fire | December 24, 2021 (Christmas Eve) |
| Location | 10 Fairway Drive, Voorhees, New Jersey |
| Vehicle in Question | 2018 Maserati GranTurismo |
| Vehicle First Sold | Louisville, 2018 |
| Maxey Purchased Vehicle | Dallas, 2020 |
| Plaintiffs (Landlords) | Jim Wang, Dean Wang, and Yu Bai |
| Defendant | Maserati North America |
| Original Lawsuit Filed | May 2023, U.S. District Court of New Jersey |
| Final Ruling Court | U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals |
| Ruling Date | April 2026 |
| Outcome | Lawsuit dismissed; expert testimony excluded |
| Camden County Fire Marshal Finding | Cause undetermined; ruled accidental |
| Injuries | None reported |
| Legal Statute Cited | New Jersey Product Liability Act (PLA) |
The property belonged to Jim Wang, Dean Wang, and Yu Bai, their mother. They thought the fire originated in the Maserati. They sued Maserati North America in May 2023, claiming the car was defective and that the Italian automaker was selling a car that essentially caught fire. This kind of charge has occasionally made headlines for other luxury brands as well. Lawyers are aware of the long and unpleasant history of expensive cars catching fire in garages.
But you need three things to succeed in New Jersey. You must demonstrate that the product was flawed. You must demonstrate that the car had a defect when it was sold. Additionally, you must demonstrate that the harm was caused by the defect. After hiring a retired fire investigator, the Wangs came to the conclusion that the engine compartment was “more likely than not” where the fire started. Even though it sounds polished, that phrase was the loose thread that ultimately caused the case to fall apart.
According to court documents, the expert lacked specific training in investigating motor vehicle fires. None of the residents were ever interviewed by him. He acknowledged that he was unable to completely rule out electrical activity. He admitted that the trunk had also caught fire, raising clear doubts about whether the engine compartment was the actual source. His testimony was disregarded by the District Court. The remainder of the case had nowhere to go without an admissible expert. The summary judgment came next. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals then concurred earlier this month.
Observing this from a distance, it’s interesting to note how thoroughly the local investigators had already pointed elsewhere. Working in real time in 2021, the Camden County Fire Marshal determined that the fire was accidental and that it started in the garage corner close to household combustibles. The Maserati was never given a name by him. After examining the evidence, a number of other experts—including those employed by Maserati and insurance companies—came to the same conclusion.
Reading the rulings gives the impression that the Wangs’ theory may have been based more on circumstance than on science. The vehicle cost a lot of money. It was an Italian vehicle. The vehicle was parked precisely where the fire occurred. It makes sense that a property owner looking at a burned-out garage would come to that conclusion. It remains to be seen if the courts will have the last say. The family’s lawyer, Jeffrey Resnick, stated that his clients are “evaluating their options,” which is legalese for “not quite finished yet.”
Meanwhile, Maxey has moved on. He was named an All-Star twice. He agreed to a maximum contract extension with the Sixers. The Maserati has vanished, destroyed in the same fire that it was charged with igniting. And somewhere along the way, the house at 10 Fairway Drive has turned into one of those odd addresses that wind up in legal databases long after all parties have moved on.
