Local officials join U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer at the site of the former Crawford Furniture Factory that was destroyed in a fire on November 16, 2022. (January 11, 2023)
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer visited Jamestown Wednesday to announce a plan to help clean up the former Crawford Furniture Factory site following a devastating fire this past November.
Schumer, standing with officials in front of the former factory at 1061 Allen Street, said he is calling on the Federal Environmental Protection Agency to launch a full investigation, “But we now need them to quickly assess the public health risk and determine how bad the pollution is here and exactly what kind of clean-up efforts we’re going to need, especially after the fire. I’m asking them to complete this ASAP. Once they determine it’s a health risk, that frees the Federal dollars. And as I’ve said, I’ve got billions of dollars in the Infrastructure bill for projects just like this.”
Schumer said the EPA has already assisted the city by installing a fence to secure the property after the fire and had been working prior to the fire to remove several barrels of hazardous materials from the site.
He said city taxpayers should not have to bear the burden of the estimated clean-up costs for the site which are in excess of $1 million.
Schumer said the Superfund tax has been reinstated which will help the EPA, “So once the EPA pays for it, they can go after the people who own the property, the people who were negligent and let the fire occur, and recoup the money. And they can sue them. That law had expired and we got it back in place, so even the Federal taxpayers ultimately wouldn’t have to pay for this.”
Schumer said once the clean up is completed, the EPA’s Brownfields program can come in to help restore the site for future use.
Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said that Allen Street Development LLC, whose principal owners are Richard and Patricia Rusiniak of Cheektowaga, did not have insurance on the building.
She said the City will also be continuing their cases against the Rusiniaks, in an attempt to recoup the cost of the emergency demolition. They also are leveling charges of contempt against Mr. Rusiniak for providing false statements in court. These cases are expected to be heard in Housing and/or City Court later this month.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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