After Fire, Spring Valley Building Slammed With Over 100 Building Violations
The Rockland County Office of Buildings and Codes is investigating over 100 Building and Fire Code violations at 101 Kennedy Drive in Spring Valley, owned by Country Village Towers Corp.
On Wednesday March 9, 2022, a fire broke out inside an apartment on the 7th floor of 101 Kennedy Drive resulting in multiple people trapped and requiring the rescue of a 2-year-old child.
While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, an immediate inspection following the incident by the Rockland County Office of Buildings and Codes resulted in more than 100 violations being discovered including:
โข ๐๐จ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ (๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ)
โข ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ
โข ๐
๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐
โข ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ
โข ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฌ
โข ๐
๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐จ๐ค๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ฌ & ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ
โข ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฆ
โข ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ
โข ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ & ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ
โข ๐๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Inspectors found 25 illegally converted apartments with living and dining rooms transformed into makeshift bedrooms, but this number could increase because at least 19 apartments were locked during this incident, with inspectors unable to access them.
None of the inspected units had smoke alarms in each bedroom, as required, and of all the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms tested nearly all failed, didnโt activate, and were outdated. Additionally, there was a systematic failure of the fire alarm system, with no audio or visual alarm sounding at the time of the fire.
โItโs properties like Country Village Towers that underline exactly why New York State has directed my administration to assume full control of the Building Department in the Village of Spring Valley. As a former first responder, Iโm outraged knowing this fire could have easily taken a turn for the worst claiming who knows how many lives. It is critical that we see ongoing cooperation from the Village of Spring Valley to remediate these issues,โ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ Ed Day.
The last inspection performed at Country Village Towers was in 2019 with 11 violations noted. The Village of Spring Valley did not reinspect the property following that inspection to ensure the violations were remedied and it appears none of them ever were. The violations discovered in 2019 include electrical hazards throughout the building, apartment and stairwell doors not latching properly, no elevator inspection and issues with smoke and fire alarms.
โOne thing is certain following this current investigation, it will take time for my office to correct years, really decades, of mismanagement and negligence by the former Building Department in the Village of Spring Valley. Failing to conduct a follow-up inspection in 2019 on the violations discovered is a failure to protect the health and safety of residents, visitors, and first responders. We will hold this property owner responsible and make sure these egregious violations are remedied immediately,โ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ค๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ฌ.
Other hazards spotted included black mold in several apartments and deteriorating stairways and balconies.
