Tragedy struck a family in the Bronx this week when a faulty radiator led to the deaths of two young sisters.
The sisters, Ibanez Ambrose, 2-years-old, and Scylee, one-years old, were sleeping near the radiator in their family’s apartment. A law-enforcement source told the New York Post that the cause of their deaths was “probably a problem with the valve. It turned the place into a steam room”.
On the morning of the tragedy, the parents found the children with terrible burns to their faces and chests. The room was full of steam. Efforts to revive the girls failed.
The building is what is known as a “cluster site” for homeless individuals. The apartments in the building are rented by the City of New York so that homeless families can live in them.
According to an official with the City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) who spoke to the New York Post, the apartment passed an inspection two days before the tragedy. However, DHS does not inspect radiators.
Residents of the building told the New York Post that they had been previously complaining about radiators giving off too much heat.
The owner of the building is Moshe Piller. He has been named in the New York City Public Advocate’s list of the City’s 100 worst landlords.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has promised a full and rigorous investigation. To that end, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office announced this week that it was investigating Mr. Piller and the building.
