City inspectors find 10 new violations at partially collapsed Bronx apartment building
NEW YORK -- The city has conducted a top-down inspection at the Bronx building that partially collapsed on Dec. 11, and inspectors now say they found 10 new violations at the property.
The city says those 10 new violations are mostly for unpermitted construction and apartments illegally converted into multiple rooms. They are as follows:
- Four violations for work without a permit, including: renovation, plumbing and electrical work in multiple apartments; full height partitions to create additional bedrooms without adequate light and ventilation in multiple apartments; work done to create bedrooms and bathrooms in the cellar of the multiple, and illegal gas plumbing for clothes dryers in multiple apartments.
- One violation for occupant contrary to Certificate of Occupancy for additional units in the cellar and in multiple apartments.
- Three violations for failure to maintain the building for obstructed fire escape windows, electrical work that was not up to code, and illegal locks installed on bedroom doors to create additional units.
- One violation for failure to provide unobstructed exit passageways for the illegal units in the cellar.
- One violation for failure to maintain the elevator, which the Department of Buildings says did not have working car door restrictors, elevator alarms or communications systems.
Inspectors don't believe those violations are related to the collapse, but tenants say it's another example of the mismanagement they've had to deal with for years.
- Related story: Exclusive: New York City says engineer who inspected Bronx building made grave error that likely led to collapse
As contractors work to repair the building, city inspectors say they're ready to expedite safety inspection requests to help get people back into their homes.
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development released the following statement:
"HPD's Emergency Housing Services team is urgently working to help these and other families in emergency shelter this holiday season find and secure stable housing using all available avenues and resources. This will not be an easy process and it will take time, but we are committed to helping people get into safe, and reliable housing as soon as possible."
"We haven't got any word from anybody since we got here," displaced resident Andres Matos said.
But Matos isn't expecting to return home from the shelter where his family is staying anytime soon.
"It's terrible. The kids feel it more, but it's a terrible feeling for everyone," he said.
The buildings department says it instructed the building owners to let them know when repairs are done in each unit, so they can inspect quickly.
The city is also inspecting other buildings associated with the landlord or the engineer who worked on the building. The CBS New York Investigative Team has learned those sweeps have resulted in some violations but no structural concerns.
- Related story: Residents displaced by Bronx building collapse being moved into emergency family shelters
"I'm devastated," displaced resident Diana Vargas said.
Vargas will have to spend her holiday in a shelter in the Bronx.
"Cracked window sills. The bathroom is not up to par. We have to share a bathroom with the entire floor," she said.
She lives in one of the units that collapsed.
Matos' unit is still standing, but he's not eager to go back.
"I don't feel safe. I don't feel comfortable in tall buildings right now," he said.
- Related story: Bronx partially-collapsed building demolition continues, tenants finally allowed inside to retrieve belongings
The city says the tenants from 26 apartments are still in shelters and another five are with family or friends.
We called the landlord, David Kleiner, and he said he's working to get tenants back in so they can get their personal belongings. He then hung up before we could ask him about those new violations.