"Manslaughter charge for Brooklyn landlord who spared himself heat bill with space heaters - one of which is blamed for deadly blaze."
"Officials stated that there were no sprinkler heads on the second or third floors, as well as no fire-proof or self -closing doors on the third floor."
An early morning blaze Dec 2, 2019 in a Brooklyn apartment building killed one man who tried to escape the flames by jumping from the third foloor(Trevor Boyer/for New York Daily News)
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BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — Prosecutors charged a Brooklyn landlord with manslaughter after a fire in a building he illegally subdivided left a tenant with no way out but the third-floor window, according to prosecutors.
Evener Leon, 62, is charged with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree reckless engagement, and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the 2019 fire, which occurred while eight adults and five children were present, according to prosecutors.
The fire, caused by a space heater, trapped one 70-year-old tenant in his room, with no way out except through a third-floor window. Prosecutors said he ended up jumping out the window and dying.
"This defendant was well aware of the dangers he allegedly created and allowed to persist, but tragically and disastrously chose to disregard building safety regulations, leaving a tenant with no way to escape the fire," said District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. "His alleged reckless disregard for the law and failure to protect his tenants resulted in the death of a man. We will now attempt to hold him responsible for his actions."
Prosecutors said Leon, who lived on the second floor of the 1776 Nostrand Ave. building with his family, had illegally divided the third floor into four apartments.
Officials also stated that there were no sprinkler heads on the second or third floors, as well as no fire-proof or self-closing doors on the third floor.
Officials said that the other children and adults who were at home and were able to get to the rear fire escape suffered from smoke inhalation and other injuries.
If Leon is convicted on the top count, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
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