WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. December 10, 2007: The City of White Plains reported to WPCNR tonight that the home at 208 West Post Road that burned Friday November 30, was overoccupied at the time of the fire and that it had a history of violating White Plains codes. The fire left over 40 persons homeless. 

208 West Post Road Last Thursday.

Police Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety, Daniel Jackson told WPCNR the fire bureau had determined that the cause of the fire was determined to be accidental, caused by faulty wiring of a heating device.

WPCNR asked Coordinator of Public Information, Melissa Lopes,  if there was a capacity limit on the number of persons who could live in a residential mult-family zoned home. Ms. Lopez in a statement said, “There are limitations based upon the square footage of each room. This is based on the state building code. The 208 West Post Road Building was over occupied."

View of 208 West Post Road from the Rear.

The 208 West Post Road also has a history of violations of White Plains codes, Ms. Lopez reports, in a statement saying, “Yes, they were cited (for fire code/building code violations) in the past. Damon Amadio (Commissioner of Building) believes the last time they were cited for violations was April. They were not in compliance at the time of the fire. We did not have any active violations on the property at the time of the fire but there has been in the past.”

Melissa Lopez, Coordinator of Public Information for the City of White Plains told WPCNR the home did not have a sprinkler system, but if the owner decides to rebuild, he will be required to install a sprinkler system.

208 West Post Road, North Side Damage.

Mayor Joseph Delfino told WPCNR when asked why the building was so engulfed (flames shooting out of the bay windows in the upstairs of the structure) when the fire department arrived, the Mayor said the residents had attempted to put out the fire themselves before reporting the fire.

The Mayor said the city is formulating strategies to tighten up code enforcement. He said thought was being given to a policy whereby if capacity of any apartment or room is violated, the tenant automatically loses their lease, but he would have more to announce after a meeting coming up this week.  Ms. Lopez said, “As a result of the fire, the city is meeting this week to come up with new strategies to hopefully prevent this from happening again.”

The Mayor said when he arrived at the building he said a prayer, and told WPCNR it was a miracle there were no fatalities.