City Council Seeks More Inspections
A man was injured when steam shot out of his radiator inside his apartment on Valentine Avenue in Bedford Park. -Photo by David Greene
By David Greene
Bronx Voice
November 4, 2024
BRONX - A freak steam leak injured a Bedford Park man who reportedly suffered burns all over his body.
According to a fire department official, the incident was reported inside a five-story building at 2857 Valentine Avenue at East 198 Street. An initial report stated that the man suffered “major” burns during the incident that was reported at 7:20 a.m. on October 17.
The FDNY later downgraded the unidentified victim's injuries, stating that he was transported to Jacobi Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
David Maggiotto, the Deputy Press Secretary at the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) told the Bronx Voice, “DOB did not respond to this incident.” He added, “So we have no info to report.”
Maggiotto was asked what would prompt a DOB response, he replied, “In an emergency situation, first responders are called to the scene. If first responders determine they should call DOB, or another city agency, then DOB or the other agency that is called will respond.”
One resident of the area who only knows the victim by face, recalled, “That day I was supposed to go to work, and I was coming out at like 7 in the morning and I saw him with the firemen, and he had burns and there was smoke coming out of his window of the building.” The "smoke" is believed to be the steam shooting out of the radiator inside the victim's apartment.
Asked where on his body the man was burned, the resident replied, “He was all burned. Yeah, his face, his hands, his neck, his ears. He went to the hospital the same day.”
The unidentified girlfriend of the victim told WPIX News that after the steam shot out of the radiator, the man threw himself through a window and landed on the fire escape. The girlfriend also stated that the steam leak took place just after they made a complaint about no heat.
A day earlier the New York City Council held a hearing on radiator safety where Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez introduced ‘Intro 925’ that calls for additional steam radiator inspections.
Sanchez said at the hearing, “In December 2016 an unspeakable tragedy occurred when a radiator system steam leak claimed the lives of two sisters in the Bronx.” Sanchez noted that a third child was killed by a steam leak earlier this year in Brooklyn.
If passed, the bill would require annual inspections of radiators and landlords would be required to make needed repairs within seven days.
The Bronx Voice attempted to reach out to the building manager, believed to be CSC Corporation Services and the building’s owner, believed to be Prime Residential Bronx, LLC, both of Albany, NY., but was unsuccessful.
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