Update On April 29 Island House Fire, Property Manager Says Fire Was Accident, Not Caused By Faulty Wiring - Apartment Owner Had No Insurance, Roosevelt Island Residents Trying To Help

Reported May 1 about a fire at Roosevelt Island's Island House co-op building:

Multiple FDNY vehicles responded to a fire coming from a first floor Island House apartment shortly after midnight on Saturday April 29.

Manhattan *66-75-1945* 575 Main St on Roosevelt Island. Fire 1st floor multiple dwelling. https://t.co/TXdZPogJNu

— NYCFireWire (@NYCFireWire) April 29, 2017

On May 4, Island House Property Management representative Steven Greenbaum sent a letter to building residents about the fire. According to these excerpts from the letter:

... A fire occurred in a ground floor apartment at Island House in the early morning of Saturday, April 29. On behalf of the Island House Tenants Corp and Management, we have expressed our profound sympathy to the Shareholder for the loss that occurred. We are thankful that no one was injured and have been doing everything possible to work through this unfortunate situation with the shareholder....

... The rumor that the fire was started as a result of faulty wiring or the microwave blowing up is unfounded. The apartment has been inspected by the New York City Fire Marshall, an independent licensed electrician and the insurance company adjuster. The collective opinion is that the fire was an accident.

Flooding from overflowing toilets, baths and clogged drains are a regular event in residential buildings. These overflows are immediately addressed and present no residual damage. Any prior overflow played absolutely no role in the fire.

There is no legal requirement for fire extinguishers in residential apartment building hallways and apartment buildings like Island House. There is no legal requirement for Island House to have a sprinkler system in the residential hallways or the apartments. Island House is a fire proof building as evidenced by the fact the the fire in the apartment did not spread but was contained within the apartment....

... All shareholders must have their own cooperative owner's apartment insurance. This is a requirement of the Proprietary Lease. Unfortunately, the Shareholder of the apartment in which the the fire occurred did not have insurance. Management will be working with the building's insurance company to obtain the most favorable settlement possible, however, the building policy does not generally cover losses to the apartment itself, including improvements and betterments, which are the responsibility of the Shareholder, nor does the building policy insure the personal property of the Shareholder or a rental tenant. ...

... If you do not have insurance, please obtain insurance immediately....

The full letter is below.

Roosevelt Island Fire At Island House

Roosevelt Island Daily reported on efforts by Roosevelt Island residents to assist the owner of the Island House apartment damaged in the fire including a Go Fund Me page.

The Roosevelt Island twitterverse reported on the fire:

#rooseveltisland seems like a fire at Island House. Lots of firemen, heard glass breaking. Smoke smell still heavy. @NY1

— NamelyNorm (@NamelyNorm) April 29, 2017

Rebecca Knell added:

... after Midnight, around 1am, multiple fire trucks arrived on island and stopped in front of Westview / Island House. I smelled smoke when I stuck my head out my window.

and shares this video


of response to the fire.

The insurance company for Island House Co-Op is continuing to investigate said building management representative Richelle Neufville.

Fire At Roosevelt Island's Island House Apartment Building Early Saturday Morning - Lots Of Firemen, Breaking Glass & Heavy Smoke But No Injuries Reported

Multiple FDNY vehicles responded to a fire coming from a first floor Island House apartment shortly after midnight on Saturday April 29.

Manhattan *66-75-1945* 575 Main St on Roosevelt Island. Fire 1st floor multiple dwelling. https://t.co/TXdZPogJNu

— NYCFireWire (@NYCFireWire) April 29, 2017

The Roosevelt Island twitterverse reported:

Fire situation on #rooseveltisland as I type! Not sure what's going on but we smell smoke. pic.twitter.com/dwNMf0utlf

— NamelyNorm (@NamelyNorm) April 29, 2017

#rooseveltisland seems like a fire at Island House. Lots of firemen, heard glass breaking. Smoke smell still heavy. @NY1

— NamelyNorm (@NamelyNorm) April 29, 2017

Fireman with gurneys waiting outside of Island House #rooseveltisland

— NamelyNorm (@NamelyNorm) April 29, 2017

Rebecca Knell reports:

... after Midnight, around 1am, multiple fire trucks arrived on island and stopped in front of Westview / Island House. I smelled smoke when I stuck my head out my window.

and shares this video of response to the fire.


The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Safety Department adds that no injuries were reported.

04/29/17 – 0055- 575 Main St. – Fire - PSD/ NYPD/ FDNY responded. FDNY corrected condition. No injuries reported.

Mobile Food Van Service For Roosevelt Island On Agenda For Tomorrow's RIOC Board Of Directors Real Estate Committee Meeting - Bring Luke Lobster and Other Good Mobile Food Trucks To Restaurant Starved Roosevelt Island

Mobile Truck: Nauti from Luke's Lobster on Vimeo.

Previous post reported on the Luke's Lobster Mobile Food Van being chased off Roosevelt Island despite having all required New York City permits and Licenses. As Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Vice President of Operations Fernando Martinez explained:

Yes, a food vendor will have to provide RIOC with the appropriate NYC licences and copies of insurance.  We will then issue a RIOC permit.  However, please keep in mind that we are not currently accepting any applications for street food vending.

and a subsequent response from the RIOC Board of Directors:

... the Board has placed the issue of mobile food vendors on the agenda for the next Real Estate committee meeting to develop a procedure for handling them in a uniform, and fair way.

The issue of Mobile Food Trucks will be discussed in public at tomorrow's RIOC Board of Directors Real Estate Committee meeting along with an Executive Session closed to the public on the status of Island House privatization and ground lease extension. According to RIOC:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. at the RIOC administrative office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.

AMENDED AGENDA
1. Discussion of Street Vending Licenses on Roosevelt Island;
2. Chair’s Motion for Executive Session to Review and Discuss the Status of Privatization/Affordability Plan and Ground Lease Extension for Island House.

Good mobile food trucks, and Luke's Lobster is an excellent one, are a great amenity  and should be allowed to operate on Roosevelt Island under the same rules and regulations as they do in any other NYC neighborhood.

Readers commenting on the Luke's post had this to say:

From Mark:

This is terrible.  If anything, we should be encouraging food trucks to make RI their evening dinner stop.

Cari:

It's so aggravating to be a part of NYC and yet not. Food trucks are an awesome idea to help spice up the food options here on the island. All summer the ice cream truck parks here, why not allow more options. RIOC, you really really are missing the boat on this one...

Cynthia:

Seriously! The RIOC need to get a life and give us all one too. A permit? Unbelievable! RI is the perfect place for food trucks and if the RIOC were smart, they would run events with the trucks every single weekend to draw more tourists to the island. I have lived here since 1979 and I cannot think of one thing the RIOC did to better the life for the residents without trying to squeeze a buck from someone. ARGH!!!!

JPH:

Roosevelt Island: we must preemptively lower the quality of life.

Rob:

This is terrible. Luke's is one of the best food trucks in the city. It's more upscale, and high quality than anything currently on the island, without interfering with real estate.

Roosevelt Island Residents Association Planning Committee Chair Frank Farance commented:

... I recognize that RIOC may control permitting on its properties, such as the sidewalk near the subway.  However, a food truck on a public street (Main Street), I believe, is outside of RIOC's control.

If a mobile food vendor complies with the NYC licensing and permitting requirements:

"http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site..."

AND, Roosevelt Island's Main Street is *not* on the list of restricted streets for mobile food vendors:

"http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/do..."

THEN, under what authority does RIOC/PSD have the right to ask the food vendor to leave?...

There are more comments here.

During the December 14 RIOC Board of Directors meeting,  Nonno's Focacceria and Riverwalk Bar & Grill owner Alphonse DiCioccio expressed objections to mobile food vendors, such as Luke's Lobster and the Domino's Pizza car at the Farmers Market, being allowed to sell food on Roosevelt Island asserting that it was unfair to existing store owners who pay rent. Here's what he had to say.

You Tube Video of December RIOC Board Meeting Public Session (Part 2)

Commenting on this post, theohiostate writes:

 ...the Food Vendor's should also pay some kind of rent or permit fee.  They shouldn't get to sell here for free.  If that happens, our local businesses - the few that we have - will close, and we will have nothing....

I replied:

The Mobile Food vans should be allowed on Roosevelt Island under the same circumstances and permits that exist in any other NYC neighborhood.

The more food choices Roosevelt Island residents have the better. If residents decide to spend their money at food vans rather than existing restaurants, the answer is for the restaurants to improve their offerings, not work to ban the mobile food vendors.

An audio web cast of the RIOC Board Of Directors Real Estate Committee public session should be available a few days after the meeting. The Executive Session on Island House Privatization will not be made public.

Roosevelt Island Residents Association, Public Safety Department And FDNY Working Together To Maintain Fire Safety

You Tube Video Of November 30 Island House Fire

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Frank Farance sent the following message to Public Safety Director Keith Guerra:

Director Guerra-

In my WIRE column of December 12, I mentioned the recent fire in Island House:

"... We heard several complaints afterward about the performance of FDNY afterwards. I spoke with Lt. Philips at Engine 260, our nearest firehouse. The discussion was in the spirit of comparing notes and lessons learned. Overall, there's a little bit of improvement everywhere: FDNY, RIOC, Public Safety, managing agents, and residents themselves. RIRA will be compiling an informative list for an upcoming Town Hall meeting. ..."

You and I had a meeting to discuss some Lessons Learned and you arranged for a later meeting with local FDNY Battalion Chief to continue the cooperative discussion. Since our meeting with FDNY, I've seen the trucks (Engine 260, Ladder 116) on several weekends doing training.

I appreciate your help convening the meeting with FDNY: it was very productive, informative, and cooperative.

I hope you and your family are enjoying the holidays!

And Mr. Guerra replied:

You're welcome Frank. I wish you and your family a Happy New Year and look forward to working productively together in 2010.

More on the November 30 fire at Roosevelt Island's Island House.

Update On Roosevelt Island's Island House Fire - Cause Was Electrical Says Fire Marshall

You Tube Video of Island House Fire

A reader of this post on the recent Island House fire asks:

Did Keith Guerra ever determine the cause of the fire ?

Roosevelt Island Public Safety Director Keith Guerra responds:

It was brought to my attention that one of your bloggers asked if I determined the cause of the fire on 11/30/09. I am not a Fire Marshall, not do I represent the Fire Department. I do not make determinations of causes for fires. I can only go by what I am told by those who do.

As per Chief Lamberta of FDNY, Fire Marshall Green of the Queens Division determined the cause of the fire to be electrical due to either too many electrical cords in one outlet or a faulty electric blanket. There was too much damage to pinpoint the exact cause of the fire 100%, but he was confident that it was one of those two things.

FDNY Drills On Roosevelt Island This Weekend & Update On 11/30 Island House Fire

You Tube Video of 11/30 Roosevelt Island Fire at Island House

RIOC is reporting:

Please be advised on Saturday December 12th and Sunday December 13th from the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. FDNY will be performing training drills at various locations on Roosevelt Island to better respond to the Island's needs in case of a fire or other related emergency.

That is a very good development. Remember on November 30 there was a fire at Roosevelt Island's Island House. At the time Public Safety Director Keith Guerra reported:

The fire this afternoon took place at 551 Main Street #203, which is an "Up apartment". FDNY extinguished the fire. The Fire Marshall informs that it started in a bedroom on the 2nd floor of the apartment. There is a possibility that it was caused by an electric blanket, but that has not been confirmed as of yet.

The entire 2nd floor of the building was evacuated by PSD, including the residents of apartment 203, who I'm told are nuns from the church. Thankfully, there were no injuries. The Red Cross is on the scene.

During the December Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) meeting there were several eyewitness complaints concerning FDNY's response time to this fire as well as their knowledge about the layout of Island House. RIRA President Frank Farance met with FDNY representatives and reports:

Fire in Island House. As reported in the WIRE, there was a fire in 551 Main Street. We heard several complaints about the performance of FDNY afterwards. I spoke with Lt. Philips at Engine 260, which is our nearest firehouse. The discussion was in the spirit of comparing notes and lessons learned. Overall, there's a little bit of improvement everywhere: FDNY, RIOC, Public Safety, managing agents, and the residents themselves. RIRA will be compiling an informative list for an upcoming Town Hall meeting.

In church on Sunday, Fr. Miqueli asked residents to avoid idle gossip: there were no candles or electric blankets to cause a fire in the nuns' apartment. He suggested that we await the fire marshal's report to understand the cause of the fire. On Monday, a half dozen of us helped pack up the convent while the apartment is being repaired.

Here's a fire safety tip especially for Roosevelt Island residents: Many baseboard heaters have no guard, so power/electric cords can slip up into the heating elements and cause a fire. In my apartment, the heater configuration makes it impossible to have a bed in a bedroom that doesn't abut a heater (for me, those heaters are ALWAYS off). Please be careful and regularly check sofas, beds, cables, etc. to make sure they are well clear of baseboard heaters.

Island Hous Fire Image From rizares Tweetphoto

Fire At Roosevelt Island's 551 Main Street - Second Floor Island House Electric Blanket Possible Cause

FDNY Fighting Fire In Front of Roosevelt Island 591 Main Street

There was a fire late this afternoon at Roosevelt Island's 551 Main Street ( Island House). It was first reported in a Tweet from The Bravest:

Manhattan 10-75 Box 1940 fire in an occupied multiple dwelling on Roosevelt Island.

Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department Director Keith Guerra adds:

The fire this afternoon took place at 551 Main Street #203, which is an "Up apartment". FDNY extinguished the fire. The Fire Marshall informs that it started in a bedroom on the 2nd floor of the apartment. There is a possibility that it was caused by an electric blanket, but that has not been confirmed as of yet.

The entire 2nd floor of the building was evacuated by PSD, including the residents of apartment 203, who I'm told are nuns from the church. Thankfully, there were no injuries. The Red Cross is on the scene.

FDNY On Main Street Near Trellis Restaurant

Southbound Roosevelt Island traffic was backed up all the way to the Blackwell Plaza Turnaround

and Queensboro Bridge.