hhusted
hhusted

Faulty Broilers in NYC Apartment Buildings

I just read on NY1 that a fire started in a Jackson Heights, Queens, neighborhood, that destroyed a row of businesses was caused by a malfunctioning boiler. The fire occurred on 37th Ave between 84th and 85th Streets.

This is a cause for concern because if this boiler malfunctioned, how many boilers are like this one in apartment buildings in NYC? This is a scary thought. I know the boiler in the building I live in is very old.

What about the boiler in your building? Do you know how old it is? Have you asked. It is important for you to know these things for your safety and well being.

Note: Sorry for the wrong use in the topic. I meant boiler.
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
6 people following
this discussion
Report

13 Comments

Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Ha ha. I laughed a little hhusted, because I think you mean 'boilers' of course and not 'broilers' ? Faulty broilers would just ruin the roast!

No, but seriously, the boiler in my building clunks out every other day and although I haven't been down to th ebasement myself to have a look at it, I'm guessing it's dangerously old. You can hear it wheezing and coughing every day.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
In case anybody finds this kind of stuff fascinating, Pratt Institute in Clinton Hill has an antique boiler in one of the basements, which is still operational. It's a beautiful machine, if you happen to find machines beautiful. It has been running since the 1800's and was made into a historic landmark. Read all about it here:

http://files.asme.org/ASMEORG/Communities/History/Landmarks/5628.pdf

I find the drawings in the text really great. Also, there is a big store of lore regarding the personalities of the various engine room attendants who have worked with this machine through the years.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
I had a faulty broiler at Christmastime. Seriously. Took the chicken five hours to roast!
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Sorry guys. I meant boiler. I had food in my broiler at the time and was thinking of that. But on the other hand, I do remember reading a story not too long ago where someone left something in a broiler that had oil in it. The broiler got the oil too hot and it caught fire. The force blew open the door and the kitchen table caught on fire. It turned into a three alarm fire.

So, in a way, you still have to be careful with your broiler.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
By the way, I corrected my post for future posters.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted actually the term broiler refers to the chicken itself in my home country.. but seriously boiler safety is not something to be laughed at .. my buildings boiler seems to be well looked after by my super and I hope it continues to be that way...
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Good for you, uptowngirl. You are right. Hope it does stay that way.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
Does this kind of thing with boilers destroying buildings happen often? I mean, has anyone ever heard of a faulty boiler doing damage? And I'd be interested to find out what happened in this case...

@hhusted Do you still have that NY1 article handy?
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps: You would be surprised by the many boilers that break down in a year. The media do not cover each one of them.

Here is the link to that story:

http://www.ny1.com/1-all-boroughs-news-content/113757/jackson-heights-fire-started-by-faulty-boiler
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted wow that must have been some explosion to have destroyed so many businesses. Especially devastating in this economic climate.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@uptowngirl Well, as for the economic part of the disaster, there's always, insurance, isn't there?
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish of course but what I meant is the inconvenience of a shuttered shop due to this disaster. The loss of custom , documents, equipment, supplies which you have to replace in order to restart. As a small business person in this environment you don't want to lose a day of sales.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted apparently the big fire which gutted a Long Island school last week was attributed to a faulty boiler so I guess one really has to make sure that they are maintained and serviced regularly. We just got a notice about boiler services in our building which are being scheduled for this Friday. Hot water is not going to be available from 7am onwards. Guess who will be waking at the crack of dawn to have a shower?
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.

Add a comment

Best Neighborhoods to Live In

8.9

Gramercy Park
Ranked 3rd best neighborhood in Manhattan. View More
8.7

Russian Hill
Ranked 1st best neighborhood in San Francisco. View More
8.6

Magnolia
Ranked 2nd best neighborhood in Seattle. View More
8.9

Georgetown
Ranked 3rd best neighborhood in Washington. View More

Best Cities to Live In

6.9

Boston
Ranked 1st best city in Massachusetts. View More
7.1

Chicago
Ranked 2nd best city in Illinois. View More
7.1

Minneapolis
Ranked 7th best city in Minnesota. View More
5.8

Philadelphia
Ranked 2nd best city in Pennsylvania. View More

Tell everyone what you love about your neighborhood!

Leave a Review

Have a question?

How are schools? Is the area safe? What about public transit options?" Why not ask our community of locals!

Ask Now

Selling or Renting Your Home?

Maximize the selling price of your home by sharing what you love about your suburb to increase its appeal...

Leave a Review

Corporate Relocation Manager?

Enable your employees to share local knowledge in a private, trusted environment with those relocating... while building community.

Learn More

To leave a review, please search for a city or neighborhood, click search, then click the "write a review" button near the top of the page.

Close x