Phone: (516) 487-8207
A man charged with creating the circumstances the death of two firefighters caught in a blaze now claims to have made a mistake, not a criminal act.
Mitchel Alvo, 58, was the asbestos abatement manager for the Deutsche Bank near Ground Zero that caught fire in 2007. His job was to manage removal of asbestos as the building was being torn down. He is currently being charged with manslaughter for severing a basement standpipe -- a water pipe that acts as an indoor fire hydrant. The firefighters could not access the water to put out the fire on the 17th floor and perished.
Alvo's lawyer, Susan Hoffinger, made the distinction between making a mistake and committing a knowable act of crime. Just after the fire, Alvo blamed himself for the tragedy, but Hoffinger argued this was his "humanity" shining through, rather than a legal confession. She also implicated others for failing to monitor the standpipe. Many agencies, including the FDNY, were legally obligated to oversee the building's safety. Some did not identify the risk and others did not even inspect the building in the first place. She also argued that ventilation problems were a more predominant cause of death than the lack of water.
The case is now being heard in the New York County Supreme Court with the site safety manager and the basement supervisor of the building.
As a practicing wrongful death and personal injury attorney in New York, I deal with the consequences of negligent behavior like this every day. If you have experienced related problems, I want you to pick up the phone and call me. I can help.
If you would like more information about how medical malpractice and accident cases work in the state of New York, I encourage you to explore my educational website http://www.oginski-law.com. If you have legal questions, I urge you to pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at lawmed10@yahoo.com to answer your questions. That's what I do every day. I welcome your call.
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