FDNY blames LIPA for electrical fire that sparked Breezy Point inferno

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Lee

The FDNY confirmed yesterday that LIPA was still delivering electricity to the Rockaway Peninsula when a fire destroyed more than 130 homes in Breezy Point during Hurricane Sandy.

The FDNY statement provides ammo to 17 Breezy Point families who plan to file a negligence suit against LIPA for leaving the electricity on — instead of shutting it off as a safety precaution — which allegedly ignited the blaze when Sandy’s surge-fueled waves hit shore.

“The power was on,” said Fire Department spokesman James Long.

Specifically, city fire marshals concluded that the hellish six-alarm blaze in Breezy Point started “when rising seawater came in contact with the electrical system of a home at 173 Ocean Avenue.

COMPLETE NY POST ARTICLE HERE

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Vogue’s Hurricane Sandy fashion spread hits a nerve

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Lee

Vogue Magazine is really annoying some in the blogosphere with their, “Storm Troupers photo spread,” showing the heros of Hurricane Sandy with fashion models all dolled up.  I saw it today and my first reaction was basically: aww how cute they tried to cover this story and this is the only way they could figure out how to do it.  But I am in the minority apparently.

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Marketing Weather-Battered Rockaways Properties ‘As Is’ – NYTimes.com

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Lee

The buying and selling of homes in the Rockaways slammed to a halt right after Hurricane Sandy, but a few homes and plots of land are on the market today. And while under more normal circumstances, properties put up for sale are buffed and polished to their highest possible shine, many of the most badly damaged homes are being offered to buyers more or less as the hurricane left them.

via Marketing Weather-Battered Rockaways Properties ‘As Is’ – NYTimes.com.

Posted in #sandy, beaches, flood, Hurricane Sandy, insurance, Queens, real estate, recovery, Rockaways | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

The Sandy Chronicles: Rebuilding After the Storm

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Lee

Here, now, is the third installment of The Sandy Chronicles, an Eater web series tracking the owners of three restaurants that were affected by Hurricane Sandy.

via The Sandy Chronicles: Rebuilding After the Storm – The Sandy Chronicles – Eater NY.

Posted in #sandy, Brooklyn, Financial District, flood, food, Hurricane Sandy, insurance, jobs, Lower Manhattan, Manhattan, Red Hook, South Street Seaport, Wall Street | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Residents in Storm-Damaged Homes Struggle to Keep Out of the Cold

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Lee

Residents who have made do with cold homes under extra blankets and triple socks since the storm hit in October face new challenges as the thermometer continues to dip. Temperatures this week have been about 10 to 15 degrees lower than midwinter averages, according to the National Weather Service, and are expected to slide into the teens over the next few nights, and could even fall into the single digits in parts of the region.

As of Tuesday, New York City’s Rapid Repairs construction teams had restored heat, hot water or power to 12,247 residences in 7,112 buildings, according to Peter Spencer, the spokesman for the Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery. But work is continuing in an additional 1,893 buildings, a substantial portion of which, Mr. Spencer estimated, remain without heat.

via Residents in Storm-Damaged Homes Struggle to Keep Out of the Cold – NYTimes.com.

Posted in #sandy, cold, heat, homeless, New Jersey, NY State, NYC, pets, Queens, rapid repairs, real estate, Relief Organizations, repairs, Rockaways | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

NY storm commission urges flood walls for subways

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Lee

The commission recommends floodgates for tunnels, subways and airports, as well as a network of safe havens such as old civil defense shelters. The 205-page report also calls for two more tunnels out of Manhattan, a rapid bus system and another Long Island Rail Road track and details how to better pay for it all by forging new partnerships with companies. It also lists several ways to improve insurance coverage for the state and residents.

via NY storm commission urges flood walls for subways – NYPOST.com.

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Post-Sandy the Generator Is Machine of the Moment – NYTimes.com

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Lee

Now, more than two months after the storm caused millions of dollars in damage, novel and costly waterproofing techniques are being employed, including the addition of backup generators and floodgates, and the relocation of mechanical equipment. The owners of buildings that predate the flooding are also looking at these measures, although retroactive installation is so complex and costly that some may decide not to do anything.

via Post-Sandy the Generator Is Machine of the Moment – NYTimes.com.

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