Wednesday
marks one year since an early morning fire tore through the Evergreen Court
Home for Adults in Spring Valley – taking the life of a 79-year-old resident
Oliver Hueston and 35-year-old Jared Lloyd, a volunteer firefighter and father
of two.
Since
that day, the Spring Valley Building Department has been taken over by
Rockland County as per a state order. There have also been calls for the Public
Service Commission to investigate reports of low water pressure in the area
that impacted firefighters’ efforts.
Assemblyman
Kenneth Zebrowski says he spoke with the commission on Monday. He indicated
that their investigation should be wrapping up soon.
“There
was a delay because of the criminal investigation,” he said. “Certain material
that they needed to access in order to complete their investigation was in the
hands of law enforcement."
The
Evergreen facility released a statement Tuesday, saying in part that it
expressed “deep sorrow for the loss of life" that occurred that day, and
"supports the added focus on fire safety and proper water pressure"
in the village.
It
also said the building was "well-kept in terms of structural safety."
While
the fire's official cause has yet to be released, News 12 has reported
that it’s believed the building’s alarms to county dispatch were put "on
hold" for a koshering process. Two rabbis and
two former Spring Valley village
building inspectors are facing charges.
Two
facility employees had their cases recently "resolved,"
according to the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office.
An
attorney for Denise Kerr, the facility’s director, issued a statement:
“Denise
Kerr is very pleased that her case was dismissed; we thank the DA’s office for
examining the facts and the evidence and coming to the right result. Ms. Kerr
has served vulnerable people for her entire career and has done so with
outstanding care and compassion. She is proud to have her good name cleared.”
Bill Madden, the spokesperson for VEOLIA (formerly Suez Water) issued a statement::
"Our water system operated properly, and the company found no inadequacies related to water supply or water pressure. We will continue to work with the authorities until this investigation is closed."
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