Some locals hypothesized that the fire might have been caused in part by the building’s inadequate heating, which prompted tenants to use space heaters.
Given its size and wind-driven intensity, FDNY Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker called the fire a “miracle.”
One local resident remembered witnessing the fire spread quickly and remarked on how unusual the incident was in the area.
Ved Parkash of Parkash Realty owns the building, and over the years, he has received a lot of complaints from tenants.
In the past three years alone, 239 heat-related complaints have been recorded, and 11 more were submitted this month. But according to the Department of Buildings,
The boiler in the building passed its most recent inspection. Then-Public Advocate Letitia James named Parkash the “worst landlord” in the city in 2015.
