A plumber who worked on the building that exploded and sparked a huge fire in the East Village last month has accused the landlord's son of making him illegally tap a gas line, according to reports.
Nicholas Figueroa, 23, and Moises Locon, 26, both died and three buildings completely collapsed following the gas explosion at 121 Second Avenue in New York on March 26.
The unidentified plumber admitted that he illegally tapped a gas line ahead of the blast but said he only did so on the orders of the landlord's son, Michael Hrynenko Jr., the New York Post reported.
The gas was apparently being siphoned from the restaurant to tenants in the building.
Investigators suspect the illegal hookup was switched before Con Ed inspectors visited the building on March 26, and after they left, it was put back, the Post reported.
It added that authorities have not yet decided whether to use the plumber's statement against him or if they will get him to testify in exchange for a deal.
Neither the landlord, Maria Hrynenko, nor her 29-year-old son Michael, who also goes by the name 'Mischou', responded to the paper's requests for comment.
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3 comments:
If he is a licensed plumber, he knew better. All he had to do was say "no, it's illegal" end of story. Nobody "forced" him. He colluded with the crooked landlord to steal gas, and is just as guilty as the landlord who asked it to be done.
He's guilty. It's the Plumber's responsibility to follow code.
Fits in with the local story. Bilking the utility companies can have tragic consequences.
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