Towering Inferno Averted

An early morning fire at North Shore Towers in Floral Park on December 9 resulted in injuries to 15 residents and 19 firefighters.
The fire began on a third-floor apartment in Building One and spread to the fourth floor. A security officer at the Towers noticed the fire and called the Fire Department at 1:34 a.m.
"The cause of the fire was deemed smoking in bed," said Fire Department spokesman Tim Hinchey. "We wrapped that one up quick."
Engines 251, 313 and 236 along with Ladders 164 and 160 responded to the call. By 2:41 a.m., the fire was declared under control.
The 15 residents were treated for smoke-related injuries. The 19 firefighters were treated for mostly minor injuries, including cuts, bruises and smoke inhalation. One firefighter was admitted to Cornell University Hospital and treated for high carbon dioxide levels.
Muriel Epps, who lives on the same floor as the fire, was made aware of it only when a friend called her. After the phone call, Epps looked into the hallway.
"I opened the door and saw all this black smoke and I quickly closed it," Epps said.
Another third floor resident, Barbara Leonardi, also found out about the fire when a friend called her. Once she heard about it, she secured her front door with duct tape and wet towels.
Other residents were not aware of the fire until firemen came to their apartments.
"Firemen woke me up and they pulled me out of bed," said Ida Sobel, who lives on the floor above where the fire started. "I was terribly frightened because they pulled me out of bed."
Shortly after Epps returned to her apartment, a fireman came to the door and gave her the choice of staying in her apartment or evacuating to the lobby. When she got to the lobby, Epps saw residents being treated for smoke inhalation.
"I was one of the lucky ones," Epps said. "When I got down to the lobby, there were a lot of people with oxygen masks."
Residents such as Sobel said that the situation was handled well by Towers management.
"Theyre doing a wonderful job," Sobel said. "I dont know if anybody could do a better or faster job than at the Towers."
The source apartment, 3M, sustained extensive damage.
"That particular apartment was destroyed," said Glen Kotowski, General Manager of North Shore Towers.
There was also smoke damage to the outside of the building, as well as the apartment above the fire.
"The bulk of the damage was smoke related," Kotowski said.
According to Kotowski, it will be the responsibility of the apartment owners to contact their personal insurance companies to pay for damages.
For those who questioned the response that night, Kotowski encouraged them to re-read the fire safety recommendations that are posted on the back of every apartment door. General procedures recommend that if a fire starts in your apartment, call security and 911, leave your apartment and close the door behind you but leave it unlocked. FDNY officials stressed the importance of closing the door to prevent the fire from spreading. They also encouraged residents to check self-closing door mechanisms to ensure proper working conditions.
If the fire is not in your apartment, it is recommended that you remain in your apartment and secure the front door.
Since October of this year, the Consumer Products Safety Commission has been working towards getting national standards set for newly manufactured mattresses that would ensure they are resistant to open flame.
California already has a standard set that requires all mattresses to be able to resist open flames for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Kotowski said that there will be a fire safety meeting held for Towers residents in the very near future to help quell any security concerns.
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