The FDNY said one person was injured after a reported ceiling collapse inside a residential apartment building operated by Amalgamated Housing Corporation in Van Cortlandt Village.

 

An FDNY spokesperson told Norwood News that firefighters responded to a 911 call at 6.57 a.m. on Friday, April 17, to the 9^th floor of 120 Gale Place, located between Orloff Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park South. The spokesperson referenced a “person hit with a shower rod,” said one victim was removed to Montefiore Hospital and that no other information was immediately available.

 

On Tuesday, April 28, Norwood News reached out to Amalgamated Housing Corporation and in response to our inquiries, a woman who answered the phone said, “You’d have to call the service department; I don’t know anything about it.” After being transferred to the service department, and upon being informed of a media inquiry about the ceiling collapse, a second woman said, “Please hold.”

 

After several minutes, the woman, Alexandria, said, “I do apologize but we’re not allowed to give you any of that information. I hope you have a good day, okay?” Asked if the person was out of hospital, Alexandria said, “I can’t tell you anything, Sir. You have a wonderful day. Bye bye.”

 

Later, a female resident of the building told Norwood News, “My apartment’s had two ceiling collapses!” Of the latest reported collapse, not in her apartment, the woman added, “Haven’t heard anything, no surprise. Co-op is averse to sharing disaster reports. Apartment above me had similar problems, though not a ceiling collapse. This building was built in a shoddy, sloppy, stupid way. No surprise for its problems, plus maintenance is not up to par either.”

 

Meanwhile, following a large FDNY response and evacuation of residents from 18 East 198^th Street in Bedford Park on Tuesday, March 31, amid a strong smell of gas, residents of the building, many of whom are elderly, said they had been left without gas or hot water. On Monday, April 27, a female resident told Norwood News her gas and hot water had been reconnected around a week after the incident, and that she believes the same is true for all residents.

 

A notice to residents advising them of the problem with the gas and hot water seen on the front door of the building in the days after the incident has since been removed. When Norwood News followed up with both the property manager and Con Ed immediately after the incident, each party alleged they were waiting on the other to resolve the issue. It was a similar case with residents of 2995 Botanical Square in Bedford Park, some of whom had been without gas since 2024.

 

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