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Inwood apartment landlord cited for ‘fire hazards’ days before fatal blaze
By
David Brand
Published May 4, 2026
Modified May 4, 2026
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David Brand
By
David Brand
Published May 4, 2026
Modified May 4, 2026
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The owner of an apartment building in Inwood that burned early Monday, killing three people, had recently been cited for multiple fire hazards in an adjoining building, court records show.
The New York Fire Department is still investigating the cause of the deadly blaze that tore through the six-story building at 207 Dyckman St. In addition to the three deaths, 14 others were injured, including one firefighter. The fire displaced more than 100 residents
“This fire was a very serious fire,” said FDNY Commissioner Lilian Bonsignore at a press conference early Monday.
But the blaze occurred just a week after the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development sued the owner, JanJan Realty Corp., and its president, Jack Bick, over conditions inside a neighboring building, 209 Dyckman.
In an April 27 lawsuit, the housing agency accused the company of neglecting “unsafe conditions as part of an intentional and aggressive campaign to harass and displace rent-stabilized tenants.”
The lawsuit described numerous “fire hazards” at 209 Dyckman, including “obstructions to egress, broken flame retardant in a common area of the building,” and missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
The agency also cited peeling lead paint, collapsed ceilings, a gas outage and “rampant water leaks” among more than 200 open housing code violations at the property.
Bick did not immediately respond to phone calls and an email seeking comment.
An attorney who has represented JanJan Realty Corp. in housing court did not immediately respond to a call or email seeking comment.
Property records show the 25-unit building at 207 Dyckman St., where the fire began just after midnight Monday, is also owned by JanJan Realty Corp. and Bick.
It had 107 housing code violations as of Monday, including 39 considered “immediately hazardous,” like broken self-closing doors and mold, according to a review of city housing data.
FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said on Monday that open doors contributed to the damage caused by Monday’s fire.
“In this building, the apartments that had the doors closed had very little impact, no fire,” she said. “The apartments that had doors open had more impact, more fire.”
Housing Preservation and Development spokesperson Natasha Kersey said the agency is assisting the American Red Cross with finding temporary accommodations for displaced residents.
“Our goal is to remove as many barriers as possible during an incredibly difficult moment and to connect affected families to emergency housing as quickly as possible through our partners at the ARC,” Kersey said.
She declined to comment on the lawsuit regarding 209 Dyckman, citing a policy of not discussing ongoing litigation.
Dio Espaillat, a first-floor tenant in 209 Dyckman, said he could see the flames reaching across the narrow courtyard that separates the center of the adjoining buildings from his kitchen window.
“All six floors were on fire,” Espaillat said. “The flames were so big it was literally hitting our side. It was engulfing everything.”
Espaillat, 37, said he was on his couch when he heard commotion and decided to evacuate his apartment with his family. He said they watched firefighters carrying people, including children, out of the burning building next door.
“It's scary to think of the people living there, family members, real people,“ he said.
He said he plans to call 311 to request more smoke detectors in his apartment.
The building at 207 Dyckman is currently enrolled in the city’s Alternate Enforcement Program, which targets buildings that have multiple violations with increased inspections and escalating fines if repairs are not made, according to agency information.ith increased inspections and escalating fines if repairs are not made, according to agency information.
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development also sued Bick and his other companies for problems at four two-story complexes they own in Queens’ Bayswater neighborhood earlier last month.
Those Queens lawsuits cite additional fire hazards and include photos of missing chunks of ceiling, a hole in a bathroom wall, and patches of mold.
Multi-alarm fires have increased this year compared to 2025, according to data the FDNY shared with Gothamist on April 20.
There were 85 multi-alarms as of that date, compared to 79 by April 20 of last year, city data shows.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
Tagged
housing
manhattan
new york city
public safety
David Brand
David is a reporter covering housing for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 908-310-3960.
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