A 73-year-old woman who lives at 18 East 198th Street in the Bedford Park section of The Bronx said she remains without any heat or hot water in her apartment as the super awaits a part for the boiler system. The woman, Candida Sierra, said she is not alone and that several other residents are also affected.

 

As reported, the building was evacuated on Tuesday, March 31, amid a suspected gas explosion / leak, which the property manager and Con Ed later said was unfounded. When Norwood News spoke to the property manager on Tuesday, he said there was an issue with the boiler that required fixing but he could not provide an estimated timeframe for resolution.

Sierra contacted Norwood News on Friday to say that she still awaits resolution of the issue, and that the super allegedly told her he is still waiting on a part for the boiler in order to resolve the issue.

 

She lives on the “last floor” of the building, a 6-story, multiple dwelling (50×100) located between Jerome Avenue and Creston Avenue. “My hands are hurting from washing dishes in cold water,” she said.

THE SCENE AT 18 East 198th Street, Bedford Park, The Bronx, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, after a report of a suspected gas leak / explosion. Video by Síle Moloney

Norwood News reached out to the Red Cross to ask if residents could be rehoused while the repairs are ongoing and a spokesperson said that typically the organization needs to get a referral from a government agency like NYC Department of Buildings (DOB), NYC Department of Housing, Preservation & Development (HPD) or the FDNY if it’s after a fire.

 

We have since reached out to DOB, HPD, and the Mayor’s office to see if anything can be done and will share any updates we receive.  There were no injuries reported following the suspected gas leak at the building on Tuesday, according to the FDNY. Read our previous story here.

A visit to the building on Friday night found notices in English and Spanish affixed to the door which read, “Hot Water Interruption Notice, Please be advised there will be no hot water for the next few days due to the boiler being down. We are actively working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and will keep you updated on any progress. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding. Management.”

A DOB summons and penalty notice was also seen affixed to the door addressed to the respondent “Raquel Realty LLC.” An FDNY summons and penalty notice was also affixed to the door in respect of the property.

 

We spoke to one couple who were entering the building who, speaking in Spanish, said there was no heating or hot water since around Sunday, March 29, or Monday, March 30. They said there has also been a smell of gas on different days, including Tuesday, March 31, the day of the evacuation, and Thursday, April 2.

We called the number for the super and were referred to the property manager who said Con Ed had turned off/cut off the boiler. Con Ed previously told Norwood News when we contacted them for comment after the evacuation on Tuesday that the issue with the boiler was up to the property manager to resolve and was not a Con Ed issue.

 

Meanwhile, speaking in Spanish, Alejandro Rodriguez, 67, who was seated outside the building when we visited the location on Friday night, said none of the residents had any heating or hot water and that it had been hard. Asked if he lived alone, he said no, that he lived with his wife and that many people in the building were seniors with health issues.

Asked how many residents there were in the building, he said, 6 floors with around 4 apartments on each floor. Norwood News was unable to reach Sierra at the building.

Norwood News reached out to Con Ed to ask why the boiler has apparently been cut off.  A spokesperson responded Saturday morning, April 4, saying once again, “The issue is with the customer’s boiler and does not involve Con Edison’s equipment. The customer must make repairs and complete an inspection before we can restore gas service. Here’s a link that outlines the process in detail: https://www.coned.com/en/services-and-outages/preventing-recovering-from-outages/repairs-after-outages/how-to-get-your-gas-back.”

We followed up with Con Edison and asked nonetheless if it was true that Con Ed had “cut off the heat and hot water.” A spokesperson responded saying, “Con Edison turned gas off due to safety and it’s up to the customer to complete the necessary repairs on their (the customer’s) equipment. The repairs are needed on the customers side of the meter.”

 

They also said that “many [Con Ed] customers may be eligible for discounts under Con Ed’s expanded their Enhanced Energy Assistance Program “in the Con Edison service territory.” They added, “Enrollment is not automatic and we want to make sure people are aware that they can apply.”

 

We’re checking with residents as of Tuesday, April 7, if the boiler is now working and will share any updates we receive.