"Black Sunday" Firefighters seek housing precedent in trial

[x635 4,066]

Firefighters seek housing precedent in trial

By Khurram Saeed

The Journal News • February 1, 2009

POMONA - Jeffery Cool recalls that his "bones were shaking" after he testified against four people charged with creating illegal apartments that forced him and five other trapped New York City firefighters to jump out of a fourth-floor window.

FULL STORY: http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902010359

[hudson144 150]

As you read through this article realize that SRO's are everywhere, no matter where you are these cut up rooms do exist. Many large homes in the Hudson Valley have been converted to multifamily homes illegally. From the basement to the attic you can find them. In OMD look for hints of seperate rooms.The more rooms the more money for the landlord.In this tough economic time people are looking for cheaper living space.If you encounter a place that may be an SRO, notify the local code enforcement/fire prevention unit and shut it down, As jeff states, conditions got bad real quick and they weren't able to get out, Be safe!

Edited February 3, 2009 by hudson144

[Guest FFNick]

As Hudson said, and to quote the article:

Wren said the problem of illegal conversions wasn't limited to big cities.

Illegal occupancies can be found in every neighborhood in Rockland, he said, everything from rented-out attics, garages and cellars in single-family houses to apartments divided into 8-by-10-feet cubicles to house a dozen men. Some homes are illegally converted into schools and businesses housing dangerous chemicals.

Best wishes for these men and their families.

Edited February 3, 2009 by FFNick

[x134 46]

I saw Jeff last year at a golf outing at Patriot Hills Golf Club In Stony Point. If you didn't know Jeff and his story, you would never know how badly he was injured and that he broke as many bones as he did. Great guy and always has a smile on his face. What is also amazing is that more brothers did not loose there lives on this horrid day.

Just goes to show you that things are not as they seem. The rapid onset of heat and smoke overtook these guys and it must have gotten really bad up there for them to be bailing out for there lives. The building alterations are what attributed to these guys bailing out and some dieing. Just to hear Jeff tell the story is chilling to the bone.

An even bigger miracle is Eugene Stolawski from Ladder 27, and that he is even alive.

God speed to all these Brothers.

[helicopper 1,050]

Isn't it already against the law to subdivide a private residence into a multi-family occupancy? Aren't there already regulations on the number of persons who can occupy a certain size building?

Maybe code enforcement should be more aggressive and penalties increased to deter this kind of activity before the fire starts.

I applaud the effort to hold those responsible for the building where these firefighters were killed and injured accountable for their conduct and I think criminal charges are right on target. Hopefully the jury sees the light and convicts them of all the charges including manslaughter. Maybe that will start the trend moving in the right direction for a change.

[Guest Firediver]

Whats even more mind-blowing is that Kristin lost her older brother Mike on 9/11 then 4 years later almost lost Brendan on Black Sunday. God Bless EVERYONE that was involved and their families. May the landlord/owners burn in hell for eternity! :angry: