Report: Communications breakdowns slowed response to fatal Mamaroneck fire

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Report: Communications breakdowns slowed response to fatal Mamaroneck fire

By LESLIE KORNGOLD

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: July 3, 2007)

MAMARONECK - An investigation into firefighters' response time to a fatal fire during April's nor'easter found a breakdown in communications, Village Manager Leonard Verrastro said yesterday,

Verrastro confirmed he received the roughly six-page report yesterday morning, but said he had not yet read it.

It is being mailed to the family of the deceased, he said.

There was an accumulation of breakdowns between county control and the village's control center, he said, having looked at the summary.

He could not provide any specifics.

Jacques Kirsch, 78, died early April 16 at his 243 Knollwood Ave. home in the Harbor Heights section.

Roads were severely flooded by the storm and firefighters took more than 30 minutes to arrive.

Kirsch was trapped at the top of his stairs when smoke from a basement fire filled his home.

The trucks had to go up to Playland Parkway in Rye to circumvent flooding rather than make the three- to four-minute trip up Mamaroneck Avenue to the Harbor Heights area of the village.

Monique Sloane, one of Kirsch's daughters, said that given the findings Verrastro told her "there is room to make some changes."

Sloane said changes are what the family wants.

The mayor and village Board of Trustees will get the report tonight.

A copy has been promised to The Journal News today.

Verrastro said he wanted to give the family a chance to get the report before it was published.