Bronx high-rise fire at center of House field hearing on preventing future tragedies
NEW YORK -- It has been three months since the city's deadliest fire in decades.
On Wednesday, Congress held a hearing in the Bronx. The goal was to discuss how to prevent these types of fires in subsidized housing from happening again.
CBS2's Natalie Duddridge spoke to one of the survivors on Wednesday.
"I'm thankful that I made it out alive, but I'm sad for those who did not," Sandra Clayton said.
Clayton, a resident at Twin Parks Northwest, shared her story at a fire safety hearing at Bronx Community College with members of Congress. She recalled that day, Jan. 9, when a fire ripped through her housing complex on 181st Street, killing 17 people, mostly immigrants, including nine children. Officials said 46 others were hospitalized.
PHOTOS: On The Scene At Deadly Fire At Bronx Apartment Building
Officials determined the cause of the blaze was a malfunctioning electric space heater.
"A system commonly used by many families due to insufficient heating in their building, which records show was a constant complaint that went unaddressed," Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said.
On Wednesday afternoon, politicians, housing and fire officials discussed what they can do to improve the safety of New Yorkers living in government-funded housing.
"Tenants had been living in dangerous conditions for years," Clayton said. "The building's alarm system was malfunctioning, as it would go off at night. When the fire alarm went off in January, I assumed it was nothing because I was so used to the alarm going off."
Authorities said all 17 victims died of smoke inhalation, adding the smoke was able to spread because doors were left open.
"If Twins Park Northwest had properly functioning self-closing door, the smoke would have been contained and countless lives would've been saved," Rep. Ritchie Torres said.
Torres, who represents the Bronx, put forward legislation that would require federally funded buildings to have self-closing doors and require space heaters to be manufactured to shut off automatically.
Advocates are also pressuring the federal government to increase and improve inspections.
In the immediate aftermath of the fire, Mayor Eric Adams signed Executive Order 12, which requires greater information sharing on inspections between agencies.
"This strengthened coordination will improve the way the fire department conducts inspections," FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said.
As for Clayton, she is in a new apartment now.
"I feel safer now, My apartment has a sprinkler system. But I am worried. I sleep with my doors unlocked, just in case I need to run out of the apartment," Clayton said.
Advocates hope new safety legislation will be passed this session.
