USANewsOnline.Com Desk, New York, NY: At today’s Stated meeting of the New York City Council, Council Member Hanif introduced a bill to outlaw the sale of many dangerous personal space heaters, similar to the one that caused the Bronx fire that claimed 17 lives at the beginning of the year. The legislation, co-sponsored by Council Members Sanchez, Powers, and Feliz and Public Advocate Williams, would ban the sale of personal space heaters that don’t have automatic shutoffs, heaters that aren’t certified by the Department of Consumer Products, and mandate that such devices must be outfitted with internal thermostats. This legislation is one of several measures being introduced by the City Council today in response to the tragic fire and, if implemented, could prevent similar tragedies. As the first Muslim woman City Council Member, Council Member Hanif has taken a leading role in organizing recovery efforts and championing this legislation in part because the majority of the fire victims were Black Muslim Immigrants.
“The Bronx Fire was an unspeakable tragedy for our City and this legislation fixes one very important piece of the puzzle that led to the dangerous fire,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif. “These hazardous space heaters can be found in buildings across the City, many of which have exacerbating structural issues that can turn a simple malfunction into a life-threatening tragedy. With this legislation, and legislation championed by my colleagues to address automatic closing doors and adequate building heating, our City is taking real meaningful steps to ensure tragedies like these never happen again.”
“When landlords fail to provide adequate heat in their building, too often, tenants are forced to resort to buying unsafe space heaters. In the Bronx this January and elsewhere, we have seen the tragic consequences of these last-resort measures,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “This legislation will help ensure that any space heaters sold in our city will meet basic safety standards, helping to protect tenants and prevent devastating fires, and I thank Council Member Hanif for her leadership on this bill and issue.”
“The tragedy that took place on January 9, 2022 in my district was preventable”, says Council Member Oswald Feliz. “Too many New Yorkers, unfortunately, rely on space heaters because of inadequate heat in their homes. We must regulate and ensure that space heaters are safe and compliant with our laws. This legislation will help ensure that we do not continue repeating the same problems that allowed this tragedy to happen. This law will help promote the safety of all New Yorkers.”
“The United States has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world, and space heaters cause about one-third of all winter house fires and 80 percent of all winter heating fire deaths, according to the National Fire Protection Association,” said Council Member Pierina Sanchez. “The fire at Twin Parks Northwest was sparked by a long-running space heater, a common occurrence among tenants struggling with insufficient heating. By restricting space heater sales in New York City to those with automatic shut-off functionality, we can prevent another tragedy like the one at Twin Parks Northwest. The New York City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings will continue to hold landlords accountable for providing adequate living conditions, who should never have to negotiate between their warmth in frigid conditions and their safety."
“The horrific Bronx Twins Fire has highlighted the urgent need for stronger fire safety laws across all five boroughs,” said Council Member Keith Powers. “As our city reels from this tragedy, I am proud to join Council Member Hanif to prohibit the sale of electric space heaters without proper automatic shut-off features and functional thermostats. This fire was not only devastating, but preventable, and the city must keep working to protect all New Yorkers from any future incidents.”
About Council Member Shahana Hanif: Council Member Shahana Hanif is the newly elected Council Member for Brooklyn’s 39th District and Chair of the Council's Immigration Committee. Born and raised in Kensington, Brooklyn, she is the daughter of two Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants. She is a product of public schools, having attended P.S. 230 and Brooklyn College, and is an activist, community organizer, and public servant. Before being elected to office, she served as the Director of Organizing and Community Engagement in Former Council Member, now Comptroller, Brad Lander’s office, where she led grassroots initiatives like Participatory Budgeting. Shahana is the first Muslim woman ever elected to the New York City Council and the first woman Council Member for the 39th District. Press Release.