New York Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15), and New York Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) announced that on Friday, Feb. 4, they introduced federal legislation to address manufacturing issues with space heaters. The “Safer Heat Act” (H.R. 6615) comes as a result of the recent Twin Parks North West apartment building fire that stole the lives of 17 New Yorkers, including 8 children, as reported, and one day before another 2-alarm fire was reported in the University Heights section of The Bronx on Saturday.

 

According to Torres and Clarke’s offices, the new bill is part of a federal legislative package aimed at solving the underlying issues that caused the deadly fire and preventing future tragedies. The legislation would require space heaters to have an automatic shut-off, and require the U.S. Commission on Consumer Product Safety to establish mandatory safety standards for the manufacturing of space heaters.

 

Torres currently represents the Bronx neighborhoods of Bathgate, Belmont, Claremont, Clason Point, East Tremont, Fordham, Harding Park, Highbridge, Hunts Point, Little Italy, Longwood, Melrose, Morrisania, Morris Heights, Mott Haven, Soundview, Tremont, Unionport, and West Farms.

 

As reported, he may soon represent Norwood also, following the latest redistricting proposal by Democrats which is awaiting sign-off by Gov. Kathy Hochul. In the context of the announcement regarding the new bill, the congressman said, “It is no accident that the four worst fires in New York City’s history in the last thirty years have all been in the Bronx. The tragedy at Twin Parks North West only underscores that we must take federal action to ensure tenants have safe and affordable homes no matter their zip code.”

 

Torres added, “Currently what the law requires often falls short of what tenants need to remain warm in their homes. The feeling of freezing in apartments causes tenants to resort to space heaters out of sheer desperation. This legislation aims to address the deficiencies in space heater manufacturing and require an automatic shutoff. These cautionary measures would help prevent another fire from devastating communities and help residents feel safe in their homes,”

 

For her part, Clarke, who represents parts of Brooklyn, said of the new bill, “Only weeks ago, tragedy struck the heart of the Bronx when a defective space heater led to a fire that killed 17 members of our New York family and seriously injured dozens more. This horrible incident, like so many others caused by space heaters every year, could have been prevented if proper safety standards had simply been put in place.”

 

She added, “Unfortunately, the current standards around space heaters are only voluntary guidelines that manufacturers can choose to ignore. This must be changed. Our Safer Heat Act will ensure that common-sense safety standards are a requirement, not a recommendation, so that we can keep our families safe and prevent these tragic fires from happening again.”

 

Yet
Another
Bronx Fire
Several of my neighbors injured and displaced from housing that was not up to standard, even before the blaze. My team spent hours on site today making sure every affected family was taken care of. We’re not stopping there… pic.twitter.com/hRG9IMRnI8

— Council Member Pierina Sanchez (@CMPiSanchez) February 5, 2022

 

The “Safer Heat Act” is part of an initial slate of federal legislation will tackle the root causes of the fire including self-closing doors and compliance with fire codes. The legislative package includes:

 

TWIN PARKS NORTH WEST FIRE SAFETY ACT OF 2022 (H.R. 6529)

• A federal law requiring federally funded or regulated multi-family developments to have self-closing doors (on apartment units, stairwells, etc.) and requiring owners and operators to inspect and certify that the doors are properly functioning and self-closing.

 

HOUSING TEMPERATURE SAFETY ACT OF 2022 (H.R. 6528)

• A federal law requiring the installation of heat sensors in all federally funded or regulated multi-family housing developments. HUD, as well as the state and local housing administrator, shall receive real-time reports that flag when the level of heating in a unit is out of compliance with housing inspections.

 

 

COMPLIANCE WITH ALL STATE & LOCAL BUILDING, FIRE, & HOUSING CODES

• A federal law clarifying that federally funded or regulated multi-family housing developments are required to comply with state and local building, fire, and housing codes.

HOUSING INSPECTION TRANSPARENCY

• A federal law to create a publicly available database to easily search housing inspections required by HUD.

 

As reported, a number of other legislative measures have also been taken in recent weeks in response to the Twin Parks tragedy at State, City and federal level.

 

Meanwhile, a number of other fires in The Bronx have also been reported since the tragedy occurred, including one at 2397 Grand Avenue in University Heights in the early morning of Saturday, Feb. 5. The FDNY tweeted on Saturday that the fire had been brought under control at around 7.30 a.m.

 

Norwood News reached out to the department for more information about the incident and was informed by an FDNY official on Monday that fire units responded to the incident at 6:11 a.m. on Saturday morning and that the fire broke out on the third floor of a 6-story, multiple dwelling at the location.

 

The official said the incident quickly escalated to a 2^nd alarm fire, bringing 25 units and 106 fire personnel to the scene. He confirmed that there were ten patients with non-life threatening injuries, comprising nine civilians and one firefighter, arising from the incident.

 

Five patients were brought to St. Barnabas Hospital, two were transported to Jacobi Medical Center, and three refused medical attention. He said the fire was placed under control at 7:25 a.m. on Saturday, and the cause and origin of the fire are under investigation. It is still unknown, therefore, if the latest fire was potentially caused by a space heater.

 

Norwood News is continuing to follow up with the FDNY in relation to the cause of the fire.

 

District 14 City Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez, who represents the impacted building, said of the fire in a tweet on Sunday, Feb. 6, “Yet Another Fire Bronx Fire. Several of my neighbors injured and displaced from housing that was not up to standard, even before the blaze. My team spent hours on site today, making sure every affected family was taken care of.”

 

She continued, “We’re not stopping there. The landlord didn’t answer my calls, my team’s calls, the city’s, or the tenants’ calls. This is a lack of respect for human life. They did not even show up to the building today and after 12 hours, the essential necessary repairs have STILL not started. We are showing up for our tenants and making sure they get the housing dignity they deserve. Thanks to @FDNY for your swift response, @NYCHousing, @NYC_Buildings, @RedCross, @bronxbp, @jpegnyc_ your partnership today.”

 

Norwood News is following up with the affected tenants to ask about the status of the repairs in question. In the meantime, NYC Department of Building (DOB) records did not list any entity with a certificate of occupancy for the building when we checked online on Monday. Norwood News reached out to DOB for comment on the incident and we were informed as follows:

 

“Over the weekend, DOB inspectors were called to the scene at 2397 Grand Avenue, Bronx, to conduct structural stability inspections inside of the 6-story apartment building that was damaged by the fire. Our investigation found that the fire took place in apartment 3B, causing severe fire damage in the unit. Less severe damage was also found in the apartments above, and holes were found at the roof level. The building was found to be structurally stable at the time of our inspection, and not in danger of collapse.”

 

The DOB official added, “As a result of the fire damage, DOB has issued a Vacate Order affecting seven of the apartments in the building. Specifically all of the apartments on the “B” line of the building (5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, 1B and B) underneath the damaged areas of the roof were subject to the Vacate Order, as well as apartment 5A, where fire-stopping material in the ceiling had been damaged by the fire.”

 

 

The statement concluded, “The other units in the building were not subject to this DOB-issued Vacate Order. All residents affected by the Vacate Order were offered emergency relocation assistance by the American Red Cross, and connected with our partners at HPD for additional assistance. Prior to Saturday’s fire, DOB has not received any complaints from members of the public about this building.”

 

According to DOB records, there are two buildings on Lot 82 at the location of the fire: 2395 Grand Avenue and 2397 Grand Avenue. According to Realty Hop records, a corporation called 2395-97 REALTY LLC is the owner of the buildings. Norwood News asked DOB to validate if this information was correct. We were referred to NYC Department of Finance, and have followed up accordingly.

 

Listed above and below are the complaints we found as of Feb. 7, logged at both 2395 Grand Avenue and 2397 Grand Avenue, The Bronx.

 

On Sunday, the FDNY circulated the following video, which includes more guidance on how to avoid potential fires from space heaters.

 

When Norwood News later visited the building, we found workers on site cleaning up the damage from the fire and signs in the lobby which indeed listed 2395-97 Realty LLC as the building owner.

 

When contacted for comment, a representative for 2395-97 Realty LLC said the entity was no longer overseeing the management of the building. We asked them who the new managing agent was and they said they didn’t know.

 

Norwood News also reached out to the super of 2397 Grand Avenue and he said that the managing agent for the building was YNY Management. We called this company and asked them for comment. They had none to give.