2 FIREFIGHTERS KILLED AND MORE HURT IN SEPARATE CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS AT THE DEUTSCH BANK BUILDING
It has been one thing after another since the Deutsch Bank Building was severely damaged and contaminated after the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001. The New York Times reports that the troubled building has passed through a few owners and, most recently, last August 18th two firefighters were killed and two others hurt while fighting a blaze in the building. Just this week a family member of one of the dead firefighters filed suit against a government agency the sister claims created the dangerous conditions at the construction site that caused her brother’s death. Robert Beddia, 53 died as a result of toxic smoke created by the fire. Apparently, the fire was a result of a discarded cigarette on the 17th floor, and while an investigation is ongoing there are serious questions about a malfunctioning standpipe that made it impossible to bring water up above the fifth floor. The second firefighter, Joseph Graffagnino, 33, died as a direct result of the broken standpipe in the basement because it could not deliver water to the fire.
At a news conference last August, Mayor Michael Bloomberg indicated that three senior
fire officials had been relieved of their command as the investigation into the fatal fire continues. Mayor Bloomberg further commented that the local firehouse had conducted none of the required inspections of the bank building since 2006, even though it was on the edge of ground zero.
Less than a week after the two deaths at the Deutsch Bank Building, two firefighters were injured when a piece of construction equipment fell from the scaffolding of the partially demolished building. Ironically, when the equipment fell, workers were clearing debris and broken glass from the fire that had occurred less than a week before that killed the two firefighters on the 26th floor of the bank building. It appears, according to officials, that it was a jack or a drill that fell-hitting a shed that housed the two firefighters.
If you, a friend, or a family member, have been injured in a NY Construction Accident or if you’re a construction worker that was injured on the job through the negligence of your employer, please call the law offices of Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP today for a free consultation.
