What you should know
- Department of Buildings (DOB) inspectors were called Wednesday afternoon to investigate reports of an illegal conversion inside a two-story commercial building in East Kingsbridge Road in the Fordham neighborhood. Upon arrival, they discovered that one of the shops in the building had been converted into an illegal dormitory.
- The DOB said 34 beds were found on the first floor and another 11 beds close together in the basement. Inspectors also found extension cords, electric bikes, heaters and stoves on both floors.
- Those who lived in the area said the illegal shelter was no secret. A neighbor who spoke with the men daily said they had been paying between $300 and $600 a month to stay there.
NEW YORK — For the second time in as many days, police discovered a makeshift shelter for illegal immigrants housing dozens of people inside a commercial business, this time in the Bronx.
Department of Buildings (DOB) inspectors were called Wednesday afternoon to investigate reports of an illegal conversion inside a two-story commercial building in East Kingsbridge Road in the Fordham neighborhood. Upon arrival, they discovered that one of the shops in the building had been converted into an illegal dormitory.
The DOB said 34 beds were found on the first floor and another 11 beds close together in the basement. Inspectors also found extension cords, electric bikes, heaters and stoves on both floors.
An evacuation order was issued due to what the DOB said were “dangerous and life-threatening conditions” inside the building, as well as a lack of natural light and ventilation, as well as severe overcrowding.
An official with the city’s Office of Emergency Management said they were coordinating a response to the situation, assessing any urgent needs of those living in the illegal shelter. They would also facilitate referrals to asylum seeker services if necessary.
Some of the immigrants who had been living inside the building were seen later that night gathering their belongings and putting them on a bus. One of those residents said he and about 50 roommates would shower at a gym across the street.
Those who lived in the area said the illegal shelter was no secret. A neighbor who spoke with the men daily said they had been paying between $300 and $600 a month to stay there.
“It wasn’t safe down there,” he said, referring to the basement where some of the beds were found. “No bathroom, no bathroom, no nothing.”
The owner received two violations for failing to maintain the building and for occupying the building against city records. He is the same owner who operated a similar illegal shelter for immigrants in a furniture store on South Richmond Hill in Queens.
On Tuesday, the DOB ordered Sarr’s Wholesale Furniture to vacate due to “severe overcrowding conditions and dangerous fire traps,” and further investigation revealed that 74 people had been living in the basement, allegedly sleeping in shifts to accommodate everyone, according to the owner who spoke with our sister network NBC New York.
When inspectors arrived at the scene, they “discovered that the building’s first-floor commercial space and basement had been illegally converted into dormitories, with 14 bunk beds and 13 beds crammed onto both floors.” Additionally, inspectors found that plumbing work was being done without permits and there were no means of egress, ventilation or natural light for the migrants living there.
Ebou Sarr, a migrant who runs the furniture store, said he felt sorry for the immigrants, most of whom are from his native Senegal in West Africa and were trying to make a living in the United States but had difficulty finding a refuge after the crisis. The city limited the amount of time single immigrants can stay in city-run shelters to 30 days.
“When they started coming to me to tell me their stories, I started helping them. I didn’t want to do it. I thought twice,” Sarr said. “It broke my heart, but I’m proud of them, they’re all hard-working people.”
He added that the basement shelter had rules, such as no cooking on site. Residents paid what they could each month for a place to sleep and Sarr provided breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“They are my people. I have to do something about it, so I started taking them in,” Sarr said through tears outside the store. “The city says they have no place for these people. It’s not true… This is what we’re trying to prevent, them being left out in the cold.”
The shocking discovery came after a neighbor called 311 to report e-bikes parked near the side of her property and FDNY inspectors investigated that complaint. The neighbor told NBC New York that she feared for her safety and that of her family due to the recent headline-grabbing fires that broke out due to faulty lithium-ion batteries.
The neighbor said she believes the unauthorized migrant shelter in Queens had been operating for at least two months.
2024-02-29 05:59:41
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