Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Report: 2nd Avenue residents file $17 million lawsuit over deadly gas explosion


[Photo from March]

Several dozen former Second Avenue residents have filed a $17 million lawsuit in the wake of the deadly March 2015 gas explosion, the Daily News reports.

The suit, filed Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court, alleges the city and Con Edison, along with the owners of the restaurant Sushi Park and contractor Neighborhood Construction Corp., failed “to observe significant and dangerous ‘red flags’ … failing to take any steps to protect the public and their property.”

The city and the others also failed to “properly test the gas lines” and relied “upon an illogical and antiquated system of enforcement, inspections and unreliable self-certification,” according to the suit.

The Daily News article mostly focuses on actress Drea de Matteo, who lived for 22 years at 123 Second Ave., one of the three buildings destroyed in the blast.

In April, the estate of Nicholas Figueroa filed a wrong death lawsuit. (The Daily News notes that there have been dozens of lawsuits filed regarding the explosion.)

Authorities have said that siphoned gas at 121 Second Ave. is to blame for the explosion, which killed Figueroa and Moises Ismael Locón Yac and injured two dozen other people.

On Feb. 11, the DA charged No. 119 and 121 landlord Maria Hrynenko and her son, Michael Hrynenko Jr., with involuntary manslaughter ... as well as contractor Dilber Kukic and an unlicensed plumber, Athanasios Ioannidis. (A fifth person, Andrew Trombettas, faces charges for supplying his license to Ioannidis.) All pleaded not guilty.

In early March, George Pasternak, the landlord of 123 Second Ave., put his vacant plot of land up for sale, asking $9.7 million.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: 2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'

Former residents talk about landlord Maria Hrynenko: 'it was clear she wanted to get rid of anyone with a rent-regulated apartment'

Report: 123 2nd Ave. is for sale

Selling 123 Second Ave.

7 comments:

Mark Hand The Catchman said...

They should be suing for a lot more, 17M should be what they are settling for EACH ... I wish them luck, this is going to be a long road for them

Anonymous said...

They're suing the city and con ed, not the landlord, which is bullshit.

Anonymous said...

Greedy?

Anonymous said...

@10:16 - The landlord was included as well.

Again, people making judgments without knowing the correct information, which is bullshit.

Scuba Diva said...

Yeah, are they allowing Maria Hrynenko to self-certify with her "I'm a good person" bullshit? Where is that woman, anyway?

Anonymous said...

In not suing the owners, I'd guess they have very astute lawyers. The Hrynenkos won't have anything left especially if they're rotting in jail (wishful thinking?). The city and ConEd will settle. As a long time patron of the restaurant, feel bad for them being sued.

Anonymous said...

They shouldn't be suing the sushi restaurant. That sounds like a greasy lawyer looking for a payout where ever they can stick their vampire blood funnel.

You can't blame the sushi restaurant for the complete 'cover up' by the landlord of siphon illegal gas. The restaurant is as much a victim of the landlord as the residents.