A massive fire engulfed a nursing home facility in New York during the early morning hours on Tuesday, and video posted online showed that the building had at least partially collapsed.
“One firefighter is missing and residents are unaccounted for in a fire at a residential senior center in New York City’s northern suburbs,” CNN reported. “It wasn’t immediately clear how many residents couldn’t be located amid the blaze in Spring Valley, Trooper Steven Nevel of New York State Police’s Troop F said around 4 a.m. ET.”
“Numerous injuries from both firefighters and residents were reported,” a Spring Valley police department spokesperson said. “Victims were taken to surrounding hospitals.”
Never seen anything like this, fire raging building totally destroyed. pic.twitter.com/VnAMicMgxJ
— Mark Kennedy (@RealMarkKennedy) March 23, 2021
🇺🇸 — DEVELOPING: Large fire on Lafayette St in Spring Valley, NY. Fire Department and Hatzolah are on scene with reports of trapped people inside. pic.twitter.com/Ei1jsz5qeI
— Belaaz (@TheBelaaz) March 23, 2021
🇺🇸 — VIDEO UPDATE: Evergreen nursing home building in Spring Valley engulfed in flames, partially collapsed moments ago. Heavy emergency response. (Credit: Moshe G.) pic.twitter.com/zFNxUDdqcp
— Belaaz (@TheBelaaz) March 23, 2021
🇺🇸 — DEVELOPING: Large fire on Lafayette St in Spring Valley, NY. Fire Department and Hatzolah are on scene with reports of trapped people inside. pic.twitter.com/Ei1jsz5qeI
— Belaaz (@TheBelaaz) March 23, 2021
Spring Valley resident Hershey Green told WCBS that people “literally ran in and helped out with the seniors.”
“There was plenty of just good Samaritans out here, about eight of them that literally ran into the building and bring them out in the wheelchairs, walkers, and literally picking them up and physically removing them out of the danger,” Green continued. “They were speechless. It was really traumatic to see that. Watching their facility, their home going down in flames was something really traumatic.”
New York’s nursing homes suffered greatly during the coronavirus pandemic and are at the center of a controversy involving Democrat New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been accused of hiding the true number of deaths that happened inside the nursing homes.
The AP reported in late January:
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration confirmed Thursday that thousands more nursing home residents died of COVID-19 than the state’s official tallies had previously acknowledged, dealing a potential blow to his image as a pandemic hero.
The surprise development, after months of the state refusing to divulge its true numbers, showed that at least 12,743 long-term care residents died of the virus as of Jan. 19, far greater than the official tally of 8,505 on that day, cementing New York’s toll as one of the highest in the nation.
Federal law enforcement officials are now reportedly investigating Cuomo and his aides over whether they provided false data to the U.S. Department of Justice about the resident deaths.
“Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation have contacted lawyers for Mr. Cuomo’s aides, interviewed senior officials from the state Health Department and subpoenaed Mr. Cuomo’s office for documents related to the disclosure of data last year,” The New York Times reported. “The interviews have included questions about information New York State submitted last year to the Justice Department, which had asked the state for data on Covid-19 cases and deaths in nursing homes, according to the people. False statements in such a submission could constitute a crime.”
Cuomo is also facing a scandal over allegations that he sexually harassed several women who worked for him. Cuomo has resisted widespread calls to resign.
Story cited here.
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