Borough Park, NY – Just hours after more than 100 firefighters rescued residents of a Borough Park apartment house from a pre-dawn three alarm blaze, the FDNY has confirmed that no working smoke detectors were found at the scene of the fire.
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The cause of the fire, which began in a second floor apartment at 1225 49th Street, was a permanently installed gas heater which malfunctioned, according to fire marshals. The fire was ruled to be accidental.
53 year old Daniella Liby, who lived in the unit where the fire started, was the most seriously injured victim of the blaze, as previously reported on VIN News (http://bit.ly/2kRIK3L).
A family of nine who lived on the fourth floor of the building were lucky to escape with their lives, according to Avi Greenstein, executive director of the Boro Park Jewish Community Council.
“They ran up to the roof and were trapped there until they were rescued by the FDNY,” Greenstein told VIN News. “They were left with nothing but the pajamas they were wearing.”
The family had no fire insurance, according to Greenstein, who said that both the American Red Cross and the Boro Park JCC have been helping the family get back on their feet.
Today’s fire is the third in Borough Park since June, with a two alarm fire breaking out in June next door to the iconic Shomrei Shabbos synagogue and a devastating three alarm fire taking the life of a Borough Park couple in August as they slept in their home, with no working smoke detectors to warn them of the deadly flames.
“We need to learn from catastrophes like this,” said Greenstein. “It is imperative for everyone to have a working smoke detector and to maintain it and test it regularly. There is no reason to take chances.”
Greenstein also stressed the importance of having fire insurance.
“It is a small fee to pay to get back on your feet instead of facing expenses of tens of thousands of dollars,” said Greenstein.
Trump will pass a federal law requiring smoke detectors everywhere, and the lives of millions upon trillions will be saved.
Fire insurance is a luxury for the rich.
While everyone should make sure they have working detectors and check all their smoke detectors tonight, Why wait until a fire starts to hear a smoke detector, or wait until a fire has burnt everything down to claim from insurance? There should be a standard fire safety inspection to inspect for weak spots, where failures may occur. While this wont happen overnight, it should be first offered from the fire department, even just for every sale of every home or as requested. It could be a simple 1,2 or 3 category, FAIL, REPAIR, or SAFE, for every home; building; appliance etc. Electrical equipment should be checked, as well as heating equipment. I really think this should be a grassroots effort from the people to make this happen and not wait for red tape etc. I have no idea what is good or not; is this 20 year old heater about to burn my house down or not. I would very much like to hear from a professional who could advise on this and see if we could make it happen.
The commenters here are getting sick and sicker, stupid and stupider.
Might a smoke detector fall into the D’Oraysa mandate of Ma-akeh?
I live in the building and I heard a few smoke detectors going on at once and ringing away. I don’t know if the house where the fire started had one but definitely others had and was working. I don’t know why people like to be critical and comment with wrong information which is not true.