Two Norwood Fires in Two Weeks Cause Two Injuries, as Certain Fire Causes Remain Elusive

By SÍLE MOLONEY & JULIAN NAZAR

The following story is an updated and extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition. The tragedy of the Twin Parks housing complex fire in Fordham Heights on Jan. 9 that claimed the lives of 17 people, including 8 children, has made Bronxites both more fire conscious and more fire sensitive. Despite a wave of additional fire safety legislation enacted at all levels of government, along with an urgent and renewed focus on fire safety training since the fateful blaze, recent residential high-rise fires in the North Bronx are still accompanied by a certain, palpable sense

By SILE MOLONEY

A man was taken to hospital following a motor vehicle accident on the Bronx River Parkway over the weekend. Police said on Saturday, May 7, at 6.49 a.m., a Nissan traveling north on the exit ramp of the Bronx River Parkway at East Gun Hill Road [located in the 47th precinct] in the vicinity of Norwood / Olinville rear-ended a 2003 Ford who was stopped in traffic. The driver of the 2003 Ford was removed to an area hospital with minor injuries. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline

By SILE MOLONEY

A woman has been hit with a DWI charge following a collision in Kingsbridge over the weekend. The FDNY said on Friday, May 6, at 10.52 p.m., emergency units responded to W 230th Street and The Major Deegan Expressway following reports of a motor vehicle accident. Three patients were transported to Harlem Hospital and Jacobi Medical Center. Their genders/ages/conditions were unavailable. We asked for confirmation of how many vehicles were involved in the collision and police later confirmed there were two. A traffic alert issued by New York State on Friday night at around 11.33 p.m. referred to

By DAVID GREENE

The following story is an updated version of the one that appears in our latest print edition. A bee flying inside a moving car is said to be the reason for a single-vehicle accident that occurred on the Grand Concourse in Bedford Park, causing an unidentified driver to slam into a tree and the car to later burst into flames. According to the NYPD, on Saturday, April 30, at approximately 3.37 p.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding a motor vehicle collision on Grand Concourse at Miriam Street in the vicinity of Bedford Park. Upon arrival, officers were

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Fire marshals confirmed the cause of the 4-alarm fire which broke out at 2230 Grand Concourse on Sunday, Jan. 9. As reported, the fire took place in the Fordham Heights section of The Bronx on the same day as the separate Twin Parks fire tragedy, among some other fires which also occurred in the borough on the same day. If using a lithium battery, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and storage. Always use the manufacturer’s cord and power adapter made specifically for the device. If a battery overheats, discontinue use immediately. See more at https://t.co/NpwdRdlElY #FDNYSmart pic.twitter.com/jPkzewBgLb —

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory on Saturday, May 7, at 12:43 p.m. which will remain in effect until 2.45 p.m. Urban and small stream flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected in parts of northeast New Jersey and southeast New York, including the northeast New Jersey counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union and the southeast New York counties of Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan), Queens and Richmond (Staten Island). Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas is expected. The doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated heavy rain, causing urban and small

By DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY

The following story is an extended and updated version of the one that appears in our latest print edition. District 11 Council Member Eric Dinowitz and Assemblyman Jeffery Dinowitz (A.D. 81) visited Webster Avenue with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), the Department of Sanitation (DSNY), and members of the 47th Precinct on Friday, April 29, to observe firsthand what was described as an escalating situation regarding the increased presence of mobile car washes along the avenue, as first reported by Norwood News in 2016. The council member and assemblyman discussed with agency representatives how

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Among a record number of healthcare entities which participated in the compilation of the 15th Human Rights Campaign health equality index (HEI), Montefiore Health System scored a perfect 100, and earned the designation of “LGBTQ+ healthcare equality leader.” The HEI serves as the gold standard in benchmarking healthcare institutions on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees. Montefiore has received this top designation now for eight years in a row. The 2022 HEI scorecard evaluated healthcare institutions on criteria related to four key areas, and Montefiore received the top score in each one:

By DAVID GREENE

This week, we asked readers their thoughts on the apparent increase in the various curbside car washers who have sprung up across the city since the pandemic and who are using city fire hydrants for their businesses. “I’m aware of them. I usually see them where I live in Soundview, and I see them in Fordham and in different areas. I think if it could be a hazard to the firemen or a hazard for the community, then yes, they must take them out. They can’t be allowed if it brings down the pressure of the water and it’s hampering