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Woman Burned In Fire Was Told To "Sleep With One Eye Open"
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 16, 2010
Modified Sep 16, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 16, 2010
Modified Sep 16, 2010
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Yesterday morning, firefighters responded to a suspicious fire in a two-story house in the West Farms section of the Bronx which left eight people injured, including a 22 -year-old woman and her 2-year-old son who were found unconscious in a basement apartment. Now it turns out the woman was being threatened by a former tenant, who allegedly sent a text message saying the victim "better sleep with one eye open."
Tenant Toshanda Staples and her son "suffered severe burns," according to the Post (a firefighter even said he "thought they were dead"). The paper adds, "Residents said Staples had gotten into a fistfight yesterday morning with a former tenant, who lost and promised revenge. 'She was sending text messages to people saying, you should sleep with one eye open,' said Staples' sister Amarie Rodriguez." And a resident told WPIX that the fistfight started when Staples believed the other woman had shoved her son.
The FDNY is still investigating the cause of the fire. The Department of Building issued violations to the homeowner "for work without a permit, illegal occupancy and illegal hardware." Apparently there were 14 single-room occupancy units (three in the basement).
Tagged
bronx
fire
illegal conversion
SRO
suspicious fire
text message
threat
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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