Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
City Gets Legal Counsel in Deutsche Bank Fire Case
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 18, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 18, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The city has hired a criminal defense lawyer to represent its various agencies who are coming under attack for the Deutsche Bank fire that claimed two firefighters lives. The Manhattan DA's office started a criminal probe, after some disturbing practices by the contractors and questionable omissions by the Fire Department and the Buildings Department came to light. Eventually smoking, by workers hired to help dismantle the WTC-dust contaminated building, was cited as the probable cause of the fire; smoking is prohibited on job sites, especially ones involving hazardous materials such as the Deutsche Bank fire, but more alarmingly, a standpipe (which delivers water to other floors) had been disconnected, making fighting the fire much more difficult.
The city's Office of Corporation Counsel says that law firm Kramer Levin Naftalis and Frankel is "more knowledgeable" (than themselves) and that the Manhattan's DA office has asked for "voluminous" amounts of material. The NY Times calls the hiring of outside counsel "unusual, though not unprecedented," noting that Gary Naftalis is "one of the nation’s leading trial lawyers." And apparently the investigation has made things "tense" between the DA's office and city agencies.
WABC 7 reports that there was another but unreported fire at the Deutsche Bank building weeks before the August 18 tragedy. An EPA inspector found "that netting outside of the building had caught fire from sparks generated from hot cutting," but no one at the site ever called the Fire Department. John Jay College fire science professor Glenn Corbett said, "Had they been notified there was a real likelihood that steps would have been taken to ensure fires didn't occur, there would have been much more scrutiny?"
Photograph by Kidsturk on Flickr
Tagged
buildings department
college
deutsche bank
fire
fire department
flickr
john jay
john jay college
law
manhattan
manhattan da
News: NYC
ny times
office
photos
science
smoking
The Manhattan
The Manhattan DA
The NY
the ny times
wabc
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Man shot by ICE in NYC still has bullet lodged in neck, attorneys say
Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old immigrant from the Dominican Republic, was in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park on Monday.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Oct 12, 2026
NY measles spread prompts 'disaster' emergency. It didn't have to be this way, health commissioner says.
The state health commissioner says the disease outbreak is wholly preventable.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
News
NY measles spread prompts 'disaster' emergency. It didn't have to be this way, health commissioner says.
The state health commissioner says the disease outbreak is wholly preventable.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
NYC wants to move deliveries onto the waterways. It's starting with a 55-year-old boat.
By
Liam Quigley
Inside the luxury Greenpoint high-rise powered by a rumbling generator for over a month
By
David Brand
Mayor Mamdani orders review of NYPD use of force policies
By
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .