Photos by Andy Reynolds for B&H
Today marked the 11th anniversary of the deadly Second Avenue gas explosion.
The blast killed two men, injured two dozen people, and leveled three buildings (119, 121 and 123 Second Ave.).
At the memorial plaque outside 45 E. Seventh St., Ola, a co-owner of B&H Dairy a few storefronts away, paid tribute to the two men who died that day — Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón. (You can watch a short clip of her remarks on Instagram.)
Officials dedicated this plaque in May 2021. The Village Preservation advocated for its placement here on the new residential building at 45 E. Seventh St.
According to a lawsuit filed March 13 in Manhattan Supreme Court, four rent-regulated tenants say the owner of the condo at 45 E. Seventh St. — through Avenue Second Owner LLC — has not paid any of the funds they are owed following the destruction of their homes on Second Avenue.
Previously on EV Grieve:
I remember that day so well. Can't believe it's been eleven years. So sad. RIP to those young men.
ReplyDeleteStill boil my blood 11 years after, and here's my annual question: who benefited from the sale of the plot?
ReplyDeleteRIP - Let's all hope this plaque does not get stolen like all the others in the EV
ReplyDeleteThis was a horrible tragedy that could have been prevented if not for greed. And now four former tenants are not getting what is due to them financially by the owners of this eyesore building. It is such a depressing intersection to walk by with this building, the destroyed church, and the forever vacant restaurant space.
ReplyDeleteTragic. So many lives lost and upended due to greed. At least it got ConEd and the DOB more engaged.
ReplyDeleteThis entire situation is beyond tragic. Human greed and blissful ignorance led to the unnecessary deaths of those poor young men and to all of the tenants who became homeless and displaced without compensation. So messed up on every level. There should be justice for all of the victims and their families.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't a tragedy. It was a crime.
ReplyDeleteIt's a nice gesture but some dope fiend is going to rip it off the wall to sell it for the metals value.
ReplyDeleteI once lived in an EV apartment above a restaurant both owned by the same landlord as the building that exploded. Often wonder now, if our gas hookup was legit.
ReplyDelete