Suspicious Fire Kills Woman Suing For $20 Million Over Harassment

A 44-year-old mother of two died and three others were critically injured by a fire that tore through a Flushing apartment early Sunday morning. The deceased, Bianca Wisniewski, was due in federal court today for a hearing in her $20 million sexual-harassment lawsuit against Total Safety Consulting and JPMorgan Chase. Four of the 110 firefighters at the scene suffered minor injuries, and the fire was ultimately contained to the single apartment, because the cement and steel walls stopped it from spreading.

In July, Wisniewski filed her lawsuit against her former employer, for whom she worked as a construction-safety inspector, and JPMorgan Chase, which owned the construction site. The suit alleges that an elevator operator, Steve Greco, propositioned and groped her at the bank construction site on Park Avenue. Greco's overtures allegedly included grabbing her around the waist and cooing, "I just want to take you to dinner, no fu*king," and "Everybody kisses engineer Steve. This is a man's world, not a place for women to work." Wisniewski said that after she complained, Total Safety Consulting replaced her with a man.

FDNY sources tell the Post the fire did not appear to be arson and may have been caused by an overloaded outlet, but the Times's sources say the opposite, describing the blaze as "suspicious" and saying an investigation is pending. Wisniewski's boyfriend says she had been receiving strange phone calls, and he tells the Daily News, "I just hope they investigate carefully. Why did this happen now?" Wisniewski's 17-year-old daughter was home at the time, and was hospitalized with smoke inhalation, along with two adult male relatives. Her other teenage daughter was not home.

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By John Del Signore in News on October 19, 2009 8:53 AM

Comments [rss]

inoyourider

Fuck this lawsuit- NOT ONE DIME.

How much is her mother worth?

Penalties for the guilty, not one penny into the hands of any ambulance chasers.

Melinda

Who gives a dam WHERE THE FIRE WAS LOCATED. A woman who had the guts to stand up against sexual harassment on the job is dead. Everyone else in the apt got out alive. This is obvioulsy foul play. She was due to testify against a big corp. and against the construction company she was working for at the time. I know what I am talkikng about. I, am a female, and worked in the construction industry. I walked in her shoes and I didn't have the guts to file a law suit even tho I was harassed almost every day. WAKE UP PEOPLE. The fire was just a way to cover up this EXECUTION. GOD WILL REVEAL THOSE INVOLVED AND THEY WILL BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE!!!!

whitecastlerock

I care where it was located...

Pepito

Okay, If Total Safety could rig the fire, HOW do they make SURE the fire department doesn't get there in time to rescue her?

Oh, Mike Bloomberg took care of that one with his new dispatch system he pushed through. A nice hidden delay PLUS missing information and bad addresses.

HymietownHero

Yeah, I can just hear the firefighters: "Is this Kew Gardens or Flushing?" "It's Kew Gardens Hills." "Nah, look at the fuckin' PDF."

Spirit of 76

If I were the paranoid conspiracy believer type, I'd think that somebody at Total Safety Consulting would know how to rig a fire that would look completely accidental. Plug in a frayed extension cord and a lot of appliances to bring it just below 15 amps so the fuse doesn't blow. Disconnect the smoke detector. But they couldn't be that smart, could they?

EricRoberts

I'm adding "Everybody kisses engineer Steve" to my playbook.

OttoBloggo

Such a tragedy. Hopefully the fire's cause will be identified. Meanwhile, folks, PLEASE make sure you have working smoke detectors along with an escape and meeting plan for your family in the event of a fire.

JacqueMehoff

too weird, she was due to testify today and this happens.

and, the fire only affected her apartment.

what are the strange calls? who makes strange calls?

and what does Bloomberg say about this? where's bloomberg?