Yonkers 2nd Alarm 1-5-05

[Dr. Zuki 1]

Truck 4,

What a coincidence! Another government subsidized structure built by NY State without adhering to local fire codes.......just like Whitney Young Manor on Nepperhan Ave.

Wonder if this one also has inferior wiring?

The NY State Urban Development Corporation also had the power to override zoning regulations in addition tomunicipal building and fire codes.

[Truck4 48]

This job was apparently due to a plumber working on pipes in a 2nd floor apartment. Fire ran the walls from there to the top through the pipe chases.

[Guest DFFD227]

Any Fire visible from the outside?

[Truck4 48]

Nope. Just a moderate smoke condition in the rear. I put 2 pics up so you can see the building. www.onthejobny.com

[Stepjam 118]

I used to live just up the street from this building, on Highland Ave. There have been a few good jobs in Jefferson Terrace over the years. I remember one about a year or two after it was built, took out three apartments.

[Guest]

From today's Journal News. YFD was able to bring 80 FFs to the job. Impressive!!

Dozens flee Yonkers fire

By WILL DAVID 

THE JOURNAL NEWS 

(Original publication: January 6, 2005)

YONKERS — A fire accidentally triggered by plumbers soldering hot-water pipes inside the walls of a second-floor apartment raced up six floors of a seven-story brick building in southwest Yonkers yesterday afternoon, sending dozens of residents into the cold.

Some 80 city firefighters raced to the three-alarm fire and were able to stop it before it caused serious structural damage to the 64-family building at 108 Jefferson St.

Three tenants suffered minor injuries and were treated by ambulance workers at the scene. 

Families living in apartments from the second to the seventh floor in the K section, on the east side of the building, were expected to be relocated by the American Red Cross because of smoke and fire damage to their apartments. Fire Chief Bruce Meyer said most families should be able to return to the building once water and smoke were cleaned up. 

Susano Gonzalez, the manager of the Jefferson Terrace Housing Development building, said he was gathering a crew last night to clean the building and allow tenants back into their homes. 

"We are going to try to get as many people back as possible," Gonzalez said. 

Fire Capt. Douglas Leihbacher of the Arson Squad said plumbers were working in apartment 2K, soldering hot-water pipes about 2:15 p.m. The pipe runs from the basement to the top floor. After the plumbers finished working, they closed the hole, but then noticed smoke and reopened the wall. The workers didn't know their torches apparently triggered a fire on the wood studs inside the wall. Leihbacher said the workers tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire, then called the Fire Department. 

"It got away from them," Leihbacher said. 

Meyer said smoke and fire were on five floors when firefighters arrived. They had to help evacuate tenants who already were fleeing the building, some in wheelchairs. 

Eugene Wise, 66, who recently had a stroke, was waiting for his physical therapist to come to his home when someone knocked on his door, alerting him to the fire. Using a cane, he had to walk down from the fourth floor. 

"There was a lot of smoke in the building," Wise said as he sat in a chair outside in a blanket, watching firefighters battle the blaze. 

Shannel King, 21, who lives in Apt. 4K, said the superintendent knocked on her door and rushed inside to clear the bathroom wall to stop the fire from spreading. 

"He told me I could stay in the building, but I ran out," said King, who was outside, bundled in a winter coat. 

Isreal Cruz said he was sleeping in his second-floor apartment next door to the one where the fire started. 

"They banged on the door and told me there was a fire, and I left without grabbing anything," Cruz said, shivering as he was wrapped in a blanket and wearing shorts and sneakers. 

Firefighters attacked the fire in the walls of the K-section apartments. Eighty firefighters were sent because of the size of the building. They were able to stop the fire and limit the damage without any injuries, ripping through walls in the K section and spraying large amounts of water. By 3:20 p.m., the fire was under control. 

Fire Commissioner Anthony Pagano said the swift response and the large number of firefighters were responsible for saving the building — and lives. 

"It's the men who put the fire out," Pagano said. "Because we had the manpower, we put it out with minimum damage." 

Red Cross officials were setting up a temporary shelter for the families until they could re-enter the building last night.

[Shantz02 0]

Fire Commissioner Anthony Pagano said the swift response and the large number of firefighters were responsible for saving the building — and lives. 

"It's the men who put the fire out," Pagano said. "Because we had the manpower, we put it out with minimum damage."

Hmm, you think Pagano might be trying to subtly say something about manpower and getting it to the scene quickly? I wonder if the city to his east will read the article and notice this.

[jnb1335 0]

Shantz, that was the first thing that went throgh my mind as well!

[mfc2257 464]

Ditto... If it was on purpose, it was simplisticly brilliant.