Due to the deterioration of the building, DOB issued an immediate emergency declaration allowing a city contractor to demolish the home.

By Michael V. Cusenza

An unoccupied residence that has teetered precariously on the lip of a Hawtree Basin inlet in Hamilton Beach since Superstorm Sandy inundated the area with water in 2012 partially collapsed into the drink on Monday, according to officials and eyewitnesses.
A City Department of Buildings spokeswoman told The Forum that the agency responded to reports of a leaning building at 102-39 Russell St. DOB inspectors found that the vacant, single-family home had shifted 2-3 feet toward the waterway behind it. Any utility services feeding the home were cut. Due to the deterioration of the building, DOB issued an immediate emergency declaration allowing a city contractor to demolish the home.
The spokeswoman indicated that DOB will continue to monitor the edifice until the home is demolished. In addition, the agency issued an aggravated violation to the building owner for failure to maintain the home in a code-compliant manner.
The property owner has pledged to DOB that they will hire a private contractor to perform the work; however, if they do not commence the demolition right away, a City contractor will perform the work and bill the owner.
The City Office of Emergency Management promised to conduct a follow-up probe of the site on Wednesday.
Area residents have been alerting elected officials and authorities about the home and others like it for years. Just last May, residents in Old Howard Beach made several calls to The Forum after a waterfront property located on Bayview Avenue near 163rd Avenue in Ramblersville, abandoned since Superstorm Sandy hit, began to sink further into Hawtree Creek.
Fears had been mounting that the shed and the deck attached to the property would soon break free and clog the waters of the creek, introducing dangerous conditions in the waterway and prohibiting any watercraft from passing.
As with all properties in similar condition, the homeowners were offered the choice to renovate, rebuild, or surrender the property for market value to the City’s Build it Back initiative. Due to the highly restrictive conditions and the extended time frame involved, the owners of the property chose to participate in the acquisition phase of the program and sold their home to the City.
The house, which was under the jurisdiction of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, has been demolished.

The three-alarm blaze broke out in the two-family home on 208th Street around 2:30 p.m.

By Michael V. Cusenza

A fast-moving fire on Sunday claimed the lives of five young people – including a 2-year-old and a 10-year-old – who were trapped inside a doomed Queens Village home with no smoke detectors.
The blaze broke out inside the home on 208th Street near 112th Avenue around 2:30 p.m. According to authorities, all five victims – Chayce Lipford, 2; Rashawn Matthews, 10; Jada Foxworth, 16; Melody Edwards, 17; and Destiny Dones, 20 – were already dead when firefighters removed them from the house.
“The firefighters ran in that house with all the smoke and flames,” a witness told the New York Daily News. “They were doing what they were supposed to do and I thought to myself, ‘These guys are so brave to do this.’”
Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “This is a very, very sad day for people here in Queens Village. I’ve talked to some of the folks on the block just now – incredibly difficult moment for people on this block to see a family literally destroyed before their very eyes. This is a very, very painful day.”
As of Wednesday, no cause of the fire had been made public. All five funerals for the victims are scheduled to take place on May 6.
“Five precious young lives are suddenly no longer with us, and their families and friends must now summon the courage to face this painful reality,” said City Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans). “As the details of this devastating event emerge, I encourage all of my constituents to, first and foremost, hug your loved ones a little tighter today, and then have a frank conversation with them about fire safety procedures. My office will work with the Fire Department and the Red Cross to share educational information to everyone in our district through door to door outreach, email and social media communications, and an upcoming community town hall.
“Lastly, I remain eternally grateful to our city’s emergency responders for their tireless efforts to keep our community safe. Their contributions literally mean the difference between life and death. Residents should take every opportunity to show their appreciation to these exceptional men and women.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

A Howard Beach couple have been arrested and charged with filing fraudulent Federal Emergency Management Agency claims to collect more than $25,000 in Superstorm Sandy benefits, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown and Department of Investigations Commissioner Mark Peters.

Christopher Poje, 43, and his wife, Margaret Poje, 39, were arraigned on Monday on two separate complaints charging both with third-degree grand larceny. Margaret is additionally charged with second-degree forgery, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing.

According to court records, the Pojes were released on their own recognizance and ordered to return to court on Aug. 15.

According to the charges, Margaret Poje filed a claim with FEMA on Nov. 11, 2012, in which she stated her primary residence was a house on 89^th Street in Howard Beach, which in fact is a secondary property owned by Margaret and her brother.

As a result of damage from Superstorm Sandy, Margaret claimed she had to move to an apartment on West 82^nd Street in Manhattan. She allegedly submitted a lease agreement as well as rental receipts and attached a $3,800 invoice from a heating and cooling company for home repairs for the 89^th Street property. FEMA reimbursed Margaret Poje a total of $19,556 in benefits.

According to the complaints, the lease and rent receipts allegedly submitted to FEMA by Margaret Poje contained the signature of a realtor, who was Margaret Poje’s co-worker at a local real estate agency. The realtor was interviewed by an investigator on July 10, 2013, and said the apartment listed on the documents does not exist, and that he did not sign the lease or rent receipts.

Additionally, Margaret Poje submitted a 1099 tax form (to report income other than salary) that allegedly states her residence as a house on 86^th Street in Howard Beach; and a tenant of the Pojes who previously lived at the 86^th Street property told an investigator that both Margaret and Christopher Poje had also lived at the 86^th Street address before and on Oct. 29, 2012, the day Sandy struck.

According to FEMA, federal recovery funds were only available to residents whose primary residence was damaged by the storm.

According to the criminal complaints, the $3,800 invoice for repairs on the 89^th Street property had been allegedly altered by Margaret Poje. The owner of the heating and cooling company told an investigator that his company did perform work for the Pojes, but on the 86^th Street property—not at the 89^th Street address.

The criminal complaints also allege that Christopher Poje, a City firefighter for the past 12 years, submitted a separate FEMA claim on Nov. 11, 2012, for reimbursement for temporary housing following Sandy. He allegedly attached a lease agreement and two months’ receipts for an apartment on East 37^th Street in Manhattan. Christopher Poje received $6,526 in benefits from FEMA.

Brown said, according to the complaints, the person named on the documents as the owner of the rental property is Margaret’s brother, who allegedly admitted to an investigator that she had signed his name to the document. The manager of the Manhattan building in which Christopher Poje allegedly claimed to have leased an apartment told an investigator that the space had been occupied by two other individuals between Sept. 1, 2012, and Aug. 21, 2013. Margaret Poje also allegedly told an investigator that she generated the rental receipts and the lease for the East 37^th Street apartment.

Brown scolded the Pojes for allegedly trying “to take advantage of a system established to help people who face real crises following a natural disaster. The aftermath of Superstorm Sandy on Oct. 29, 2012, devastated many residents of Queens County and beyond, resulting in many homes being damaged and in some cases destroyed. Those storm victims deservedly needed assistance in rebuilding their homes and their lives. The two defendants in this case are alleged to have lied, fabricated documents and receipts to dupe FEMA into giving them funds to feed their own greed. The defendants must be held accountable for their alleged actions.”

Peters echoed Brown’s sentiment, adding, “That one of the defendants is a City firefighter now charged with bilking the public trust only underscores the troubling nature of this investigation.”

Christopher Poje has been suspended for 30 days without pay, FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer told The Forum on Monday.

If convicted, Christopher and Margaret Poje each face up to seven years in prison.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

For the last week or so, Queens, like the rest of the Burned Apple, has been trying to keep cool – a gargantuan task in the face of seemingly unending, oppressive heat and humidity punctuated by abrupt bursts of thunder and lightning and rain.

Among Gotham’s tried and true – and cheap – ways to quickly cool down is the fire hydrant. But you’ve got to do it right these days.

Opening fire hydrants without spray caps is illegal, wasteful, and dangerous, according to the City Department of Environmental protection. “Illegally opened hydrants can lower water pressure and put lives at risk if there is a fire. Children can also be at serious risk, because the powerful force of an open hydrant without a spray cap can knock a child down, causing an injury,” the agency noted in a safety alert issued on Sunday.

DEP also pointed out that hydrants can be opened legally if equipped with a City-approved spray cap. One illegally opened hydrant can release more than 1,000 gallons of water per minute, while a hydrant with a spray cap releases 20 to 25 gallons per minute. Spray caps can be obtained by an adult, 18 or over, free of charge, at any City firehouse.

Stay cool.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

The siren call of the sweet science beckons fight fans to Rockaway Beach next Friday, July 8, for The War at the Shore: FDNY Bravest Boxing vs. the London Metropolitan Police Boxing Team.

Civil servants from opposite sides of the pond matching punch-for-punch underneath the stars at St. Camillus on Rockaway Beach Boulevard – for a great cause, of course.

Proceeds will go to veterans and Building Homes for Heroes, a charity that builds or modifies homes, and gifts them, mortgage-free, to veterans and their families across the country.

“We support military charities and Building Homes for Heroes because we believe our wounded veterans deserve to be taken care of,” said long-time Bravest Boxing President Bobby McGuire. “We also have a special kinship to the military after the terrorist attack on 9/11. They are the ones who went out and got those responsible. God bless them all and a special thank-you to Seal Team 6.”

McGuire, a native of Rockaway Beach who now resides in Howard Beach, said The War at the Shore will benefit U.S. Marine Corps Captain James Byler and U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Kevin Vaughan.

Vaughan was wounded in Afghanistan in September 2011 when the vehicle he was travelling in struck an 80-pound pressure plate (improvised explosive device) while he was carrying out combat operations in the Southern Helmand province. Five marines were severely injured in the attack.

Vaughan was transported by medevac to Bagram Airfield for immediate treatment beforebeing transferred to Germany, and then to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He spent 15 months at Walter Reed.

Vaughan sustained serious injuries to both legs, and despite several surgeries, doctors were unable to save his left limb, which was amputated below the knee. He also suffered plantar fasciitis and nerve damage to his right foot, left shoulder tendonitis, degenerative joint disease to his lower back, tinnitus, a traumatic brain injury, and a left hand fracture. His right leg had to be reconstructed with rods and screws.

Corporal Vaughan earned the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Navy Sea Service Ribbon, and the NATO Medal.

Vaughan resides in North Merrick. Building Homes for Heroes will set him up with new digs in the Merrick, Seaford, Wantagh, North Massapequa area.

McGuire, a firefighter for 22 years who retired out of Ladder Co. 173 on Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach, said his team of pugilists believes in raising money for a good cause through spirited competition.

“We fight the NYPD, the Garda Siochana [police force of Ireland] and London Metro Police each year,” he noted. “All the events are exciting, but there is nothing better than beating our brothers in blue – the NYPD. We once fought them in Keyspan Park in front of a sold-out crowd and beat them 12-2. That was a special night.”

Friday, July 8, promises to be special one, too.

For tickets and more information, visit fdnyboxing.com.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Children of all ages, from wide-eyed tykes to kids at heart fulfilling that lifelong dream of sitting on a fire truck, visited firehouses across the five boroughs on Saturday as the city Fire Department celebrated its second annual Open House event.

More than 200 firehouses and EMS stations opened their doors to the public from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Throughout the day, FDNY firefighters, paramedics and EMTs educated the public about fire and life safety – conducting demonstrations, discussing careers within the department, and offering tours of engines, ladder trucks and ambulances.

FDNY Open House 2016

Additionally, residents had the opportunity to schedule a free smoke/carbon monoxide alarm installation through #GetAlarmedNYC.  FDNY members also be gave away more than 30,000 items, including fire safety coloring books and tiny fire helmets for future firefighters.

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said topping last year’s turnout would not be an easy feat.

“In 2015, FDNY members celebrated our 150th Anniversary with the people they bravely serve, welcoming more than 27,000 New Yorkers into the department’s firehouses and EMS stations for the first time ever,” he noted.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

The City Council this week released its official Response to the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2017 Preliminary Budget, replete with “smart, fair and fiscally responsible” recommendations that aim to expand services to all New Yorkers, address income inequality, and build reserves.

“These preliminary budget recommendations reflect a central challenge in government: making our city more equitable while also planning prudently for the future,” said Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland (D-East Elmhurst), chairwoman of the Finance Committee. “The proposals included address inequality in New York City while remaining fiscally responsible, and I believe they represent the diversity of needs across our city. As the budget process advances, I will continue to ensure that the Council is an equal partner and that the administration’s investments are transparent. I thank the Speaker for her vision and leadership, and my Council colleagues for their ongoing input. I look forward to delivering a budget that strengthens New York City.”

Throughout March, the Council heard testimony from over 50 agencies and the public about potential changes to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s $82.1 billion Preliminary Budget that should be incorporated into the FY2017 Executive Budget. Council Members also voiced concerns about the need for additional services and programs, the lack of adequate funding for existing services, the lack of opportunities for the city’s youth, the need for long-term budget stability, and inefficiency and the lack of transparency in agency operations.

To address those concerns, the Council has indicated that its Budget Response sets forth proposals to address inequality through responsible budgeting by focusing on: ensuring opportunities for the youth population; supporting immigrants; budgeting for a more equitable city; safeguarding the city’s programs and services through budget stability; building for the city’s future; baselining City priorities; expanding and enhancing city services; and tracking progress.

De Blasio’s preliminary plan and the Council’s response touch on many similar topics.

“This budget builds on the strong economic foundation we’ve created, reaffirming our commitment to responsible government that meets challenges head on,” de Blasio said in January. “We’re addressing the needs of New Yorkers through targeted investments in public safety, quality of life, vital social services, education, and more, while protecting the city against the many risks ahead.”

Additionally, the Council noted that the City’s Capital Commitment Plan reflects the administration’s priorities for maintaining the City’s core capital infrastructure needs. The creation of new infrastructure, and the repair or expansion of existing infrastructure, is critical to adequately support the City’s current and future operations, according to the Council.

To this end, the Council has called for funding several initiatives that would ensure that the City’s current infrastructure needs are met and that the future expansion and evolution of the City’s operations will not be limited or compromised because of inadequate infrastructure. These initiatives include:

– Additional Capital Funding for necessary improvements and repairs to New York City Housing Authority’s 2,551 buildings.
– Funding for the School Construction Authority to complete wiring upgrades to support air conditioning in aging school buildings.
– Funding to the FDNY for the construction of three additional Emergency Medical Service stations to accommodate the increased headcount of EMS personnel.
– Increasing the Department of Correction’s Capital Budget by $50 million to build a new training facility. According to the Council, DOC’s current training center is located in Queens and is in need of serious renovations.

To ensure that services and programs are adequately funded, the administration must utilize budget stabilizing measures while ensuring budget accuracy and transparency, the Council noted.

The Budget Response recommends several proposals, such as the creation of a Rainy Day Fund, which would allow the City to save during good times and use those savings to cushion bad times; and increasing appropriations to existing budgetary reserves.

Last month, for the first time in the city’s history, the Council held a public hearing on immigration services. “In furtherance of our goal to support immigrant New Yorkers, this Budget Response calls for an investment in programs that would offer valuable services to meet the needs of immigrants with limited English proficiency, complex legal cases, inadequate access to health services, and those requiring workforce development,” the Council wrote.

The Council has also recommended expanding and enhancing several services and programs, including creating an Office for Crime Victim Services, and additional funding to the Department of Parks and Recreation for increased headcount of seasonal staff for adequate staffing levels during the warmer months when park use is at its highest.

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said the legislative body’s recommendations ultimately “reflect the needs of all New Yorkers while also planning for our city’s future.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

Members of the Assembly and Senate, and leaders representing the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, and the Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York have joined together in an effort to extend a helping hand to volunteer firefighters facing a daunting challenge: beating cancer.

“Our local volunteer firefighters in southern Queens and Rockaway have risen to the occasion during some of our state’s greatest disasters, from September 11th to Superstorm Sandy. With bravery and determination, their selfless acts continue to keep our families safe. For this and more, we owe it to our vollies to stand with them as they face the greatest challenge of their lives,” said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach).

During a press conference at the State Capitol last week, Goldfeder and others stood in support of Assembly bill A5518, which would extend the already existing Volunteer Firefighters’ Benefit Law to cover all instances of melanoma, as well as cancers of the digestive, hematological, lymphatic, urinary, prostate, neurological, breast, and reproductive systems. During the 2015 legislative session, this bill unanimously passed the State Senate, but was still in committee in the Assembly at the end of the year.

While fire service leaders and organizations have implemented robust awareness campaigns in an effort to lower cancer rates, cancer is endemic to firefighting because of routine exposure to smoke, toxins, and other cancer-causing agents in the line of duty. Fires have become more and more dangerous in recent years, as synthetic materials have become commonplace in building and furniture construction. This, coupled with the ubiquitous presence of electronics in buildings, means that modern fires are more toxic than ever before, producing a much greater volume of carcinogens. Among the most astounding statistics: firefighters are 102% more likely to develop testicular cancer than the general population.

Goldfeder’s district is home to five volunteer fire departments, as well as numerous FDNY members and other first responders. There are roughly 100,000 volunteer firefighters in the state, saving New Yorkers nearly $3 billion every year. Goldfeder last week announced open applications for a new round of federal SAFER grants to volunteer fire departments for personnel and training costs. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, March 25, 2016. Fire departments are encouraged to contact the Assemblyman’s office at 718-945-9550 or via email at goldfederp@assembly.state.ny.us for more information.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Mayor Bill de Blasio last Thursday presented the City’s Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2017, lauding the $82.1 billion plan as one that “recognizes a strong local economy,” maintains reserves “at unprecedented highs,” and makes “targeted investments.”

“This budget builds on the strong economic foundation we’ve created, reaffirming our commitment to responsible government that meets challenges head on,” de Blasio said. “We’re addressing the needs of New Yorkers through targeted investments in public safety, quality of life, vital social services, education, and more, while protecting the city against the many risks ahead.”

De Blasio touted the City’s local economy that added over 200,000 new jobs since January 2014, for a total of 4.2 million jobs; that development has been felt in Brooklyn (5.8 percent growth), Queens (3.9 percent), the Bronx (3.4 percent), and on Staten Island (2.9 percent growth).

“The economy is more diverse than ever; for example, 2014 saw a 10 percent growth in NYC’s tech sector. NYC’s population increased by over half a million people between 2000 and 2014, and the city saw an all-time high of 58.3 million visitors in 2015,” de Blasio said before noting that, even as the economy grows, many residents are still struggling, and major risks loom ahead.

De Blasio cited said risks as reasons boosting the City’s reserves to “unprecedented highs,” that are maintained in the Preliminary Budget, including: $1 billion each year in the General Reserve; $3.4 billion in the Retiree Health Benefit Trust; $500 million in the newly-created Capital Stabilization Reserve.

De Blasio also said that his two prior budgets have invested in priorities such as affordable housing units; full-day Pre-K; and moving nearly 2,000 additional NYPD officers onto the street.

The FY2017 Preliminary Budget builds on that foundation, de Blasio noted, through targeted investments, including:

$15 minimum wage for all City employees and contracted social service workers – impacting 50,000 New Yorkers – through $115 million when fully implemented.

An unprecedented effort to bring mental healthcare to the forefront through $62 million in FY17 for ThriveNYC, which includes the NYC Mental Health Corps and Mental Health First Aid training.

Continued investment in the Department of Correction’s 14-Point Anti-Violence Plan for Rikers Island ($41.3 million in FY17) and training, technology, and enhanced staffing ($58.3 million in FY17).

Expanded FDNY ambulance tours in Manhattan and Queens, and EMS pilot initiatives in the Bronx, to build on prior investments and improve response times, with $5.4 million in FY17.

A 30 percent increase in security in City parks, through 67 new Parks Enforcement Patrol Officers and 50 seasonal staff, with $5.3 million in FY17.

A continued expansion of Vision Zero and improved traffic flow and safety, through $128 million in capital (including $115 million for major improvements on school routes and key thoroughfares), $12.1 million in expense in FY17 for 327 new Traffic Enforcement Agents, $4.4 million in expense to maintain speed cameras and develop new street reconstruction projects, and $13 million for 100 new Select Bus Service cameras.

School overcrowding addressed with $868 million in the School Construction Authority’s Five Year Capital Plan. This will add 11,800 new seats (bringing the total for this plan to over 44,000 new seats).

Ending the AIDS Epidemic starting with $23 million a year in total funds in FY17 for prevention and health care to ultimately enable 200,000 people per year to receive services, as well as $44 million a year at full ramp up (starting with $26 million in FY17) for the City’s share of a commitment to HASA for All.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

Police on Tuesday pounced on a borough resident who allegedly lit three small-debris fires in roughly 10 minutes in Forest Hills last Wednesday night; but they quickly determined that he was not a copycat emulating the serial arsonist who has terrorized the central Queens community for the last two months.

Instead, Samer Shuaib, 36, reportedly indicated to investigators that the mini blazes set on Austin Street near Yellowstone Boulevard were the result of an alcohol-fueled bender after a bad day.

Shuaib has been charged with three counts each of second-degree criminal mischief, fourth-degree arson and second-degree reckless endangerment. According to the city Department of Correction, bail has been set at 20,000 cash or $40,000 bond. As of Wednesday night, Shuaib was still on Rikers Island.

Shuaib’s shenanigans, which NYPD Chief of Detectives Bob Boyce initially characterized as the handiwork of “obviously a copycat,” only fueled the fear that has gripped Forest Hills since late October.

Law enforcement officials from several agencies have intensified their search for the prolific firebug who they say is solely responsible for at least seven arsons—all on construction sites in a Bukharian Jewish neighborhood.

The perpetrator is believed to be a white or light Hispanic man, 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-7, slim build, and dressed in a hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit tips by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.

The Police Department reward is $12,500. A Bukharian Jewish group has put up $50,000 for information leading to an arrest.

“The string of arson that has occurred in Forest Hills over the last several weeks is putting our entire community at risk and must be stopped immediately,” state Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) said last week. “These fires that are deliberately being set are not just affecting vacant houses or construction sites, they are also causing serious damage to neighboring properties and putting the lives of innocent people at risk. While I am thankful that so far no one has been hurt by these senseless acts, I am hopeful that the person responsible for this will be found before a bigger tragedy occurs. I thank the FDNY and NYPD for working together on this and urge anyone with any information to come forward as soon as possible.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

Law enforcement officials over the past seven days have intensified their search for a prolific Forest Hills firebug who they say is solely responsible for at least seven arsons—all on construction sites—since October.

He last hit the community early Sunday morning, lighting up a location on 69 Road.

Frustrated fire investigators reached out to the public last week to help them smoke out the arsonist who has left a normally quiet neighborhood on edge. Authorities initially only pinned four of the fires on him.

However, on Monday cops added three more to his ledger of destruction.

In each case, the suspect entered the site and ignited flammable combustibles before fleeing on foot, according to the city Police Department.

Incident 1: Approximately 9:30 am on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 68-60 112 St.

Incident 2: Approximately 10:10 pm on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 112-35 69 Rd.

Incident 3: Approximately 6:30 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 108-49 66 Ave.

Incident 4: Approximately 11:12 pm on Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 108-47 67 Dr.

Incident 5: At approximately 12:18 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 112-35 69 Rd.

Incident 6: At approximately 10:27 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 70-35 113 St.

Incident 7: At approximately 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 108-13 67 Rd.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the reward was at $12,500.

The FDNY, 112th Precinct Detective Squad, and NYPD Arson and Explosion Squad have determined that the seven blazes began on Tuesday, Oct. 20, and have resulted in property damage and one minor injury to a firefighter. Three of the fires actually spread to adjoining properties, causing additional damage and the displacement of 13 people.

“The string of arson that has occurred in Forest Hills over the last several weeks is putting our entire community at risk and must be stopped immediately,” said state Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach). “These fires that are deliberately being set are not just affecting vacant houses or construction sites, they are also causing serious damage to neighboring properties and putting the lives of innocent people at risk. While I am thankful that so far no one has been hurt by these senseless acts, I am hopeful that the person responsible for this will be found before a bigger tragedy occurs. I thank the FDNY and NYPD for working together on this and urge anyone with any information to come forward as soon as possible.”

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz said she met with Police Commissioner Bill Bratton this week to discuss public safety issues, including the arson case. She encouraged her constituents to help investigators.

Based on video evidence, cops said, the perpetrator is believed to be a white or light Hispanic man, 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-7, slim build, and dressed in a hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit tips by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.

The reward has been jacked up to $12,500. All calls are strictly confidential.

By Michael V. Cusenza

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

Investigators this week reached out to the public to help them smoke out a Forest Hills firebug who they say is solely responsible for at least four arsons—all on construction sites—in November alone.

In each case, the suspect entered the site and ignited flammable combustibles before fleeing on foot, according to the city Police Department.

• Incident 1: Approximately 9:30 am on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 68-60 112 St.
• Incident 2: Approximately 10:10 pm on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 112-35 69 Rd.
• Incident 3: Approximately 6:30 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 108-49 66 Ave.
• Incident 4: Approximately 11:12 pm on Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 108-47 67 Dr.

The four intentionally set fires are part of a larger cluster of seven suspicious blazes in Forest Hills and Rego Park that investigators with the FDNY, 112th Precinct Detective Squad, and NYPD Arson and Explosion Squad have determined began on Tuesday, Oct. 20, and have resulted in property damage and one minor injury to a firefighter. Three of the fires actually spread to adjoining properties, causing additional damage and the displacement of 13 people.

Based on video evidence, cops said, the perpetrator is believed to be a white or light Hispanic man, 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-7, slim build, and dressed in a hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit tips by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

By Michael V. Cusenza   michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

A 90-year-old Lindenwood man early Tuesday morning was killed in a fire in his first-floor apartment, according to officials and published reports.

Firefighters discovered an unconscious and unresponsive Leonard Manzo in his 88^th Street residence shortly after 4 a.m. He was rushed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

While investigators were still working to determine the cause of the blaze, Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro told the New York Daily News that a space heater was the likely culprit, and that there were no working smoke detectors in the victim’s apartment.

By Michael V. Cusenza   michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

The cause of a fast-moving fire in Forest Hills that destroyed one house and severely damaged two others last Sunday night is still under investigation, according to city Fire Department officials.

FDNY units were alerted around 7:30 p.m. to the fire in a two-family house that was under construction on 112^th Street and 68^th Drive. Authorities said the inferno quickly escalated to a third alarm and spread to two neighboring houses. It took 33 units and more than 140 firefighters to bring the blaze under control around 9:05 p.m.

More than 140 firefighters battled the blaze on 112th Street and 68th Drive.

No injuries were reported.

A Fire Department deputy chief who responded to the scene told the New York Post that he deemed the blaze to be “suspicious” because of “the large volume of fire upon arrival” of the first-due FDNY companies.

By Michael V. Cusenza   michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran who lost both of his legs to an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan four years ago is being hailed a hero after saving an injured infant from a car wreck last week in Howard Beach, according to the city Fire Department and a published report.

Marine Matias Ferreira, 26, was on his way home to Long Island last Wednesday evening following his wedding rehearsal at St. Mary Gate of Heaven church in Ozone Park when he heard a crash behind him as he drove his truck on Cross Bay Boulevard, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

A car collided with a median pole, and its female driver, who was stuck in the driver’s seat, was screaming “My baby! My baby!”

Ferreira, who has prosthetic limbs, stopped his truck and he, his brother, and future father-in-law raced toward the smoking vehicle. As his family members got the parents safely out of the car, Ferreira “tore off a headrest, squeezed into the backseat and freed the baby from her car seat,” Daily News reporter Leonard Greene wrote.

FDNY officials told The Forum that they received a call of a “motor vehicle accident with injuries” around 8:30 p.m., and transported an infant with “serious injuries” to Elmhurst Hospital shortly thereafter.

The current condition of the baby is unknown.

Ferreira shrugged off the praise, saying he just did what anyone else in the moment would have done.

“It doesn’t have to be a Marine. It doesn’t have to be a firefighter. It just has to be someone with a good heart,” he told Greene.

By Michael V. Cusenza   michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com