Gas Line Replacement To Blame For Flooding In Dyker Heights Homes, Neighbors Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Gas line replacement has gone bad in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, and neighbors on one block say no one wants to step up and fix the problems.
As CBS2's Vanessa Murdock reported, 77th Street between 11th and 12th avenues in Dyker Heights was a blissful block. But then, two months ago, gas line replacement started.
Neighbor Joseph Terrone told CBS2 that National Grid contracted Hallen Construction to dig up the streets and driveways and put in the upgraded lines. He said things got ugly fast.
"The issue we have at the moment – everything is caving in. Nobody's coming to fix it," Terrone said.
Asphalt was laid to fill the holes. But then rain came and the asphalt sank, and water made its way into several basements on the block.
"This is all still wet," said John Gillen of Dyker Heights as Murdock toured his basement.
Gillen has been helping his family clean up and throw out destroyed clothes and toys. It is likely that the rug on the floor is a loss.
"Hopefully, there is no mold – that's what we're concerned about," Gillen said.
He said his family has called and explained the situation, but has run into roadblocks.
"My son-in-law has (called). He keeps getting back-and-forth between the construction company and the gas company," he said.
"They keep passing the buck," added Terrone. "I've had enough of passing the buck."
New York Paving foreman Sal DelVecchio said his crew is contracted by Hallen for sidewalk restoration.
"We're here fixing this particular job for Hallen," he said.
The crews are busting up concrete with jackhammers and laying new slabs, and Terrone said concrete is part of the problem on his block too.
He said crews poured concrete on his driveway on Tuesday, and it was already disintegrating just one day later.
Murdock asked DelVecchio about the problem.
"Sometimes, because they got hit with a heavy rain, so most of them that got hit with the heavy rain have to be redone," he said.
He said he was confident that there will not be any water issues once the crews are done working on the block.
But neighbors said they have not received the same assurance from all parties involved.
CBS2 reached out to both National Grid and Hallen Construction.
National Grid said it has not had such problems in the past. The company said recent rains washed away temporary patches.
National Grid claims its contractor is working with flood victims to fix the issues.
