Roommates disputing damages to apartment

Earlier in the year one of my roommates was responsible for causing a fire in our kitchen. I recently heard from my landlord who has informed me that they plan to challenge the damages and claim they fall under the "wear and tear" clause of the lease. My first question is, is there any way for me (and the other tenant) to dispute this claim? There's no way the damage that was caused should fall under "wear and tear". Second, what should I expect in terms of the security deposit? We all signed a single lease, so we can't be treated as individuals, but my landlord indicated he would distribute the total remaining security deposit (after damages) to me and that I could distribute it as I see fit. Is this true? If so, what potential legal challenges might I encounter from the roommate who caused the damage?