Demolition work on partially collapsed Bronx building underway – Spectrum News NY1

Emergency demolition work is underway on the portion of the Bronx building that partially collapsed earlier this week.

Crews are working to remove pieces of the buildings floors and ceilings that were left dangling as high as seven stories in the air.

Work on the building, located at 915 Billingsley Terrace, started around 10 a.m. Thursday morning and is expected to take multiple days to complete.

The Department of Buildings said Thursday afternoon that demolition work will be paused at some point later Thursday to allow for residents who live in the south wing of the building to retrieve some of their belongings.

Some tenants will not be able to retrieve their belongings. That includes the Zavaleta family, who lived at apartment 53 inside of 1915 Billingsley Terrace.

For the last four decades, the apartment was a safe haven for the Zavaletas.

Over the years, several family members have called it home. But after Mondays partial building collapse, it is now a danger zone, and therefore being demolished.

So when tenants are allowed to return to their apartments Thursday to get some of their belongings, Diana Vargas and her family will not.

My mother is no longer with us, and I have, we all have specific items to remember by her, and I'm just not getting that back, Diana Vargas said.

Vargas was at work during the time of the partial collapse. The clothes she wore and her work bag are all she has from her apartment.

She said the material items are replaceable, but the thought of never wearing her late mothers jewelry or flipping through old photos of her makes her emotional.

They told us no, like, we can't go back in. And I wish I could get my photos album with her, her perfume, her rings that I had of her. We had a blanket that she left behind. And I am not getting none of that back, she said.

Vargas sister and nephew were home at the time of the collapse. Her nephew was on his way into his bedroom as the floor began falling through.

Though they feel lucky they were able to get out safely, Vargas said they lost everything, and that the landlord and city are to blame.

If that building has so many violations, why do we get bypassed? Like, why was nothing being done? And all the complaints that we made to 311, like what happened there? she said.

Vargas, her family and some of her neighbors have been put up in a Brooklyn hotel by the Red Cross, but they have to check out by 11 a.m. Friday.

She said they have submitted all their paperwork to the city to get placement in a shelter.

We dont got no details. We dont know where were being placed, how far out, Vargos said.

Vargas has reached out to her local elected officials, asking if she can direct emergency personnel to find some of those sentimental items before everything is demolished.

She said she is holding out hope, but doesnt know if that is going to be possible.

Read more:
Demolition work on partially collapsed Bronx building underway - Spectrum News NY1