Some troubling news about yesterday's three-alarm fire at 200 East 72nd Street which left 19 firefighters and 14 resident injured. Apparently the fire alarm system had been undergoing repairs (there were complaints about "multiple false alarms" according to the Sun), which led to chaos. The building is "fireproof," and the FDNY says residents should have just stayed in their apartment, but many tried to leave the building.
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer issued a following statement; here's an excerpt:
Along with emergency respondents who arrived on scene, I have become aware that there was no functioning fire alarm system at the residences above the storefronts at 200 East 72nd Street, where a tragic fire started at 5am today. Residents have advised me that within the last 2 weeks the building management took it upon themselves to undergo a replacement of their fire alarm system without providing the proper notification to city agencies. I also understand that FDNY issued a violation for this building in response to a complaint made on January 30, 2008. There is a reason that we have building and safety protocols - and that reason is to protect our residents and businesses in the case of an emergency. Sometimes fire alarms must be fixed, but there is no excuse to disregard safety measures.
Some residents of the building, called the Wellesley, commented on City Room that there signs in the building saying the alarms were not functioning (yet they later received a letter from building management claiming they had functioned), that some were told not to evacuate, and that "heavy smoke" "consumed" "even top floors" of the 34 floor building. Finally, apartment buildings are not required to have fire alarm systems, but if they are installed, they must be maintained.
The fire was on the building's ground floor. Here are safety tips from the FDNY, and safety tips for high-rise buildings do say you should stay in your apartment and keep your door closed. Overall, it's a good idea to know what your fire escape plan is.
