Brooklyn Building Vacated After Man Drowns in Flash Flood

Building Vacate Order Issued

• ⚠️ A full vacate order was issued for a Brooklyn building where a man died during yesterday's storm.
• 🏠 Officials confirmed there is no electricity, gas, heat, or hot water in the entire building in Crown Heights.

Flash Flood Tragedy

• 💔 A 39-year-old man was pulled from the flooded basement by the FDNY scuba team.
• 🐕 Friends described the victim as a "happy go-lucky guy" who loved his dogs and died trying to save another.
• 🌊 Flash flooding inundated Kingston Avenue, with water reaching waste-deep at the time of the incident.

Infrastructure Failures

• 🚪 The building department noted that one of the basement doors was unusable.
• ⛺ Inspectors found two camping tents set up with personal belongings in the basement, which is not an apartment.
• 📉 The speaker emphasized that infrastructure should not fail to the point where a basement can be flooded enough to cause death.

Storm Intensity and Sewage Systems

• 💧 On Thursday, the neighborhood received 1 inch of rain in just 10 minutes, a rate three times what the city's century-old sewage system is designed to handle.
• 🍂 Exacerbating the issue, the fall season brought leaves on the ground, clogging gutters and catch basins.

Calls for Infrastructure Investment

• 💰 Brooklyn City Councilman Justin Brandon is urging the city to invest more in its aging infrastructure.
• 🛠️ He highlighted that politicians often overlook sewer system upgrades, despite their critical importance.
• 📞 Constituents experiencing chronic flooding are advised to file complaints with 311.

Washington Heights Incident

• 📍 In Washington Heights, a 43-year-old man, Juan Carlos Mononttoya Hernandez, was found dead in the flooded boiler room of his building.
• 🤝 Tenants described Hernandez as a "decent" individual who was always willing to help.
• 🏢 City records show the building is managed by the Alma Realy Corporation, which has not yet commented.

Business Impact and City Response

• 📈 Businesses in Bed-Stuy also suffered from flooded basements and damaged floors due to the intense storms.
• 🤝 The Department of Small Business Services and Environmental Protection met with business owners, distributing flood kits.
• 📣 City leaders are asking residents to assist in clearing catch basins of leaves and debris, especially when storms are approaching.