Bronx construction site where 3 workers were injured in fire has dozens of violations over the past year
NEW YORK -- CBS2 has discovered a troubling pattern of safety violations at the Bronx construction site where three people were injured in a fire Monday morning.
New York City has issued more than 25 violations at this property over the past year. Twelve were still listed as open and all relate to construction safety concerns.
Five new violations issued Monday include failure to show proof of proper training and failure to provide the proper permit for using a propane torch at the site.
Building inspectors said three people were doing waterproof work when the waterproofing material caught fire and burned the workers, sending them to the hospital.
It prompted a massive FDNY response that shocked neighbors near Holland Avenue and East Gun Hill Road.
"I saw all the fire trucks blocking the lanes," said Lewis Thomas.
"I didn't know what was happening," said Millicent Johnson.
The city has now issued a partial stop work order at site and CBS2 has learned it's not the first time. Last July, the city said the general contractor "unlawfully continued work while on notice of a stop work order."
The city also ordered workers to stop working in an elevator machine room in April after inspectors found a "failure to ... maintain safety equipment."
They also cited the company for "failure to ensure each worker has successfully completed the required training."
People who saw the FDNY response said they're relieved the fire wasn't worse.
"Could've been deadly all right," said Thomas.
Last May, a work permit was issued for the property to Mark Stagg of BE Bronx Builders LLC, the same company listed on the violations over the last year.
The Department of Buildings said the workers injured Monday worked for a company called Stagg Group, whose CEO is Mark Stagg.
On its website, Stagg Group boasts that it's constructed over 2,500 units in the Bronx, "providing quality, affordable homes."
We reached out to Stagg Group and BE Bronx Builders to ask what happened Monday and about the violations. We will update our reporting if we hear back.
The workers injured Monday are expected to be OK.
