Code Enforcement: Oak St Building Was Overcrowded, Badly Wired and Hazardous

An Oak Street building that caught fire Monday had makeshift, exposed electrical wiring, fuel-burning equipment that wasn't vented and "non-habitable space" used as sleeping quarters, according to inspections completed this week.

Despite the violations, the home passed a fire inspection in April of 2010. That information was revealed in this week's report.

The fire, which was fought by some 40 firefighters in the early hours of Monday morning, left 20 people homeless. 

A list of violations found at the 142 Oak St. building includes overcrowding, modifications done without permits, hazardous electrical conditions and the lack of carbon monoxide detectors, according to a memo sent by Code Enforcement Director Christopher Steers to Mayor Dennis Pilla, Manager Christopher Russo and the Board of Trustees.

Click the PDF file at the top right to read the memo.

UPDATE, 2:02 p.m.: The home passed inspection when former Building Inspector Frank Ruccolo told a code enforcement inspector that all work had been done according to permit. Ruccolo vouched for the home's owner, Anna Maria Blass, less than a month before he was suspended in the wake of a police raid on the building department.

Clarification: Language in this post has been modified to more clearly attribute information. The Department of Code Enforcement learned of the bogus inspection this week after the 142 Oak St. house caught fire, but inspectors were not aware of the violations beforehand.

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