Post-Deutsche Bank Fire, Week 2 Roundup

It's been just about two weeks since the 7-alarm fire at the Deutsche Bank building, and the city and state are still trying to figure out how to proceed with the WTC-dust contaminated building's dismantling. The Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter to the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation asking for the building to be sealed up "to protect public health and the environment." It was only when the EPA had given its approval for a deconstruction plan last September that the officials were able to develop a timeline for the building's dismantling. The LMDC, which has been presenting a "new, less restrictive plan" for demolition, only said that the plan will "assess and address all potential risks to those who live and work near the building, first responders and others."

Mayor Bloomberg took some time yesterday to defend Bovis Lend Lease, the contractor in charge of the dismantling. He said, "Bovis is a big company that does business around the world, does a lot of business in the city. We love them to work here. We certainly don't want to scare Bovis away." The Sun also reported that the mayor "looked confused" when asked whether the LMCCC (Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center, a city agency) would be investigated - apparently he didn't understand the abbreviation.

Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, who some have said should resign over the FDNY's poor planning and lack of inspections at the building, spoke to the Daily News about the criticism he's been getting: "It's hard not to feel under fire, under siege. "On the other hand, I know what I'm doing, and I know what I've done and I've been through these kinds of crises before. I don't accept the suggestion I should even consider resigning."

And now it turns out that the sprinkler system at 130 Liberty Street was not working, as systems should be in building under demolition. Apparently sprinklers should only be turned off when the floor is being demolished - not when it's being prepped for dismantling. Newsday reports that the excuses so far include "they broke during the 2001 terrorist attacks and were never repaired" and "egulators shut the sprinklers off after 9/11 because pumps driving the water were contaminated."

Photograph by Kidsturk on Flickr