Four charged with manslaughter in deaths at Deutsche Bank building
Last year, two New York firefighters were killed in a fire at the former Deutsche Bank building in Manhattan. The building was undergoing asbestos removal in preparation for demolition because of damage it received during the September 11, 2001 bombings.
During this work, a water pipe from the basement had been cut, shutting off the water supply to the building. A section of the pipe was missing, and the problem wasn’t known to the fire department because inspections had not been done. This became a critical problem when firefighters tried to battle the fire that started on the seventeenth floor.
The John Galt Corp. was responsible for demolition and asbestos removal at the site, and the company has been changed with manslaughter, along with three Galt employees—an executive, a foreman and a supervisor. They could face 15 years in prison if convicted.
The general contractor was not changed and has agreed to install various safety measures to ensure such a tragedy cannot happen again. These safety measures include hiring additional personnel and increasing fire safety training. The general contractor is also establishing a $10 million fund for the families of the slain firefighters.
In addition, the city has committed to hiring an additional 40 people in the Fire Department, which will include inspectors to monitor asbestos removal, construction and demolition sites. The mayor has said that the city will implement a total of 33 safety recommendations for construction, asbestos abatement and demolition sites that were made by a city working group.
For the full story, go to Bloomberg.
