A week after the devastating fire that caused 17 deaths in a building in the Bronx, several elected officials presented a proposal on Monday to prevent this type of tragedies.
“We cannot allow a tragedy like this to happen in our communities again,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who visited the scene of the accident on Monday with Congressman Ritchie Torres, Mayor Eric Adams and elected officials of the Fire Safety Task Force of that county to meet with volunteers and community leaders.
Earlier today, while the funerals of the victims were taking place, the legislator announced its intent to sponsor new federal legislation to hold federally funded or regulated multifamily housing developments liable for heating-related violations.
The senator indicated that she will work with Congressman Torres and will lead the bill in the Senate that will require the installation of heat sensors in certain federally funded buildings so that federal, state and local housing managers can assess heat levels in real time, prevent future fire tragedies and improve fire safety and housing quality.
The tragic fire was caused, according to authorities, by a malfunctioning heater in an apartment on the second floor of the building of 19 flats and 120 apartments.
“It is not It is no coincidence that the four worst fires in the history of New York City in the last thirty years have occurred in the Bronx,” said Congressman Torres. “The tragedy at Twin Parks North West only underscores that we must take federal action to ensure renters have safe and affordable housing regardless of their zip code.”
Torres believes that the introduction of federal legislation to require heat sensors in buildings financed with federal funds will improve living standards, especially in places like the Bronx, “where we see the effects of the aging of the market property”.
For his part, Mayor Adams was proud to support the legislative effort of both legislators in Congress.
“It is unacceptable that any New Yorker stay out in the open when you are in your own home,” said the municipal president. “We have seen the tragic consequences of abusive landlords turning off the heat; That is why I have spent years fighting to protect tenants from heat-related harassment and to hold wrongdoing landlords accountable.”
Voices of support and hope were heard after the announcement.
Councilman Oswald Feliz said he applauded to Gillibrand and Torres for their leadership and work to make heat sensor technology more accessible to vulnerable tenants in their district.
“These devices will allow residents to track and record temperatures inside the building throughout the day, which will allow them to hold owners accountable for not providing adequate heating.
This increased responsibility, in turn, will prevent the need for dangerous personal heating equipment like the heater that contributed to this recent tragedy,” said Feliz.
Salim Drammeh, pre president of the Youth Organization of Gambia, recalled that his community was still in mourning and moved by the consequences of the devastating fire.
“This is a tragedy that did not have to happen. The conditions that led to the fire were created by years of negligence on the part of a property owner and general disregard for the people who lived there,” he noted.
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According to Lori Moore-Merrell, Administrator of the US Fire Administration, fires caused by space heaters cause at least 65 dead and 150 injured per year.