By Paul J. Condra
And, while fire officials are advising a new sprinkler and alarm system be installed before residents move back in, the same official still hasn't made any promises.
In a speech last week before some 150 residents of Nathan Hale Senior Village who have had to abandon their homes due to the fire, Rob Becker, president of the board of directors of the now charred and empty senior facility, lauded not only Lynbrook firefighters, but said safety features at Nathan Hale were largely helpful in containing the fire to just nine apartments, resulting in only one death.
Becker praised the effectiveness of the building's smoke detectors, fire doors and vents in minimizing the effects of the fire.
But Lynbrook fire officials see it differently:
The senior citizens complex [had] no sprinkler system and no central station fire alarm system, which ... allowed the fire to spread rapidly and without notification to the fire department, said Lynbrook Fire Department ex-captain Steve Grogan, who now works as a spokesperson for the department.
Grogan said the prevention devices were largely ineffective in helping the evacuation or stopping the spread of the fire, and that firefighters are the sole reason why the fire didn't cause more harm.
There are very little fire safety measures in place in the complex, Grogan said. And the only reason that lives were saved and the fire was put out was because of the heroic efforts of Lynbrook firefighters who put their own lives on the line to evacuate the building, then fight a very dangerous fire.
Firefighters had to evacuate many residents through third- and fourth-floor windows. In addition, some residents were still asleep when firefighters arrived to evacuate them.
Grogan said the fire alarm system at Nathan Hale was very minimal and only set off a siren in the room of the fire, without notifying a central station in the building or the fire department.
He said the system is wired to shut doors in the hallway for eight adjoining apartments. But added the fire alarms are hardwired to the electric system and do not have the required battery in case the power to the room or the building goes out.
Notably absent when Becker addressed residents was mention of the lack of a fire sprinkler system, which wasn't required in the building, but residents said should have been installed anyway.
Grogan said it was clear that had a sprinkler system been in the building, the fire wouldn't have left the room in which it started.
Fire investigators still haven't released the exact cause of the fire, but say it was an accident.
Though Becker has vowed to rebuild the building and said he wants to install a sprinkler system, it is not clear what level of government has jurisdiction over the building as it receives federal money, and whether he will be forced to install such a safety measure is still up in the air.
I want to put a sprinkler system in, Becker said, but we still need to get a million dollars for it.
Under Lynbrook Village code, a new building of that size would require a sprinkler system, but Becker points out he doesn't have to rebuild the whole building, and isn't sure what the law will require.
But there were other structural weaknesses that made the early-70s building a difficult one in which to fight a fire.
Grogan said there was no fire insulation on the steel truss roof, which caused a portion of the roof to collapse under the fire and heat, endangering firefighters. Also, there were no fire walls between individual apartments, only between eight-apartment quadrants. Grogan added the open attic above all the apartments allowed the fire to spread rapidly.
A few firefighters suffered minor injuries from the fire and were treated at local hospitals. Rita Callahan, 81, in whose room the fire started, died in the fire and another resident was taken out unconscious, but recovered.
Homeless residents are now relying on the help of family, friends and other citizens to get through the tough times ahead. Even the undamaged apartments will have to be emptied of furniture in order to complete renovations, Becker said. A Nathan Hale Fund has been established to help residents, and the Red Cross has pledged continued support. Checks can be mailed to Nathan Hale Fund, care of Rob Becker, 173 Earle Ave. Lynbrook, NY 11563.
