FDNY Joins Mayor and Department of Buildings to Discuss the Dangers of Illegally Converted Apartments

FDNY Assistant Chief of Fire Prevention Richard Tobin joined Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Department of Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri at City Hall on Sept. 16 to discuss the dangers of illegal apartment conversions.

"Illegal conversions can have deadly consequences, and too often we have seen that tragic result," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Illegal conversions pose a serious risk to tenants, neighbors and first responders."

Illegal conversions are building units that have been altered to create additional housing without obtaining proper approvals from the Department of Buildings. These units often lack adequate means of egress, proper windows and ventilation, and have illegal and unsafe gas, electrical and plumbing systems.

"The FDNY knows all to well the pain and danger these illegal conversions can bring, we lost an officer and a firefighter in the Bronx who were forced to jump to their death after being trapped in an illegally converted apartment," said Chief Tobin. "We often stumble across illegal conversions during a run for other reasons, water leaks, gas odors, etc. And we report them and action is taken."

To crack down on these types of residences, the Department of Buildings staged an undercover operation to crack down on illegally converted dwellings and hold property owners accountable for putting potential tenants and first responders at risk.

Investigators discovered illegal living conditions in 54 of the 62 rental apartments inspected in all five boroughs, including fire safety hazards such as inadequate means of egress, untested gas lines and single-room occupancies with locks on individual rooms. Inspectors issued vacate orders to 33 properties where the conditions posed an immediate threat to public safety and fines to the remaining properties.

Watch the undercover video at http://www.youtube.com/mayorbloomberg#p/a/u/0/igbd9M8z0h0