Crown Heights NYCHA residents without heat ahead of arctic blast
CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- As an arctic blast of cold weather and wind moves into the area some Brooklyn residents are without heat. A situation that could be fatal with temperatures well below freezing.
It's cold in here, the walls are cold," Kingsborough House resident Maggie Davis said. "It's going to be in the teens this weekend, 18, at seven this evening. It's supposed to get colder."
The walls both inside and outside of Kingsborough Houses in Crown Heights are freezing. Davis says it's unbearable and she knows it's dangerous.
With the arrival of this weekend's arctic dip, 311 tweeted a reminder to tenants that landlords have a legal requirement during winter months to maintain a temperature of 68 degrees during the day, 62 degrees at night.
Davis knows her rights, has filed three complaints and it still hasn't been resolved.
"They didn't do anything," Davis said.
It's this kind of misery that has forced Davis to resort to using her stove burners for heat.
Other residents are using space heaters, which was the cause of last year's fire in the Bronx that killed 17 people.
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"You don't want to leave the house with a space heater on," Chuck Kotov from the FDNY Safety Response Team said. "You also don't want to go to sleep with a space heater on."
The mayor's office tweeted space heater safety tips like not to plug them into an extension cord and be sure to have 3-feet of clearance on each side.
The FDNY demonstrated how easily a fire caused by a space heater can consume everything around it.
"I'm scared because I know it's dangerous but I have to keep warm," Davis said. "I don't want the house to catch on fire."
If you have to buy a space heater this winter Kotov says there are a few things you should look for when you make your purchase.
"When you purchase a space heater, it should be from a reputable place," Kotov said. "It should have a UL listing number that it's been validated and checked."
Kotov also said if you notice an old space heater has frayed wires or yellowing its best to dispose of it and get a replacement.
NYCHA released the following statement on the Kingsborough complex:
"This development is currently receiving adequate heat according to its Building Management System (BMS), which monitors and regulates the temperature of its buildings. However, NYCHA is deploying heating staff to investigate resident concerns and will address any findings as necessary."
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