Posted on 06/13/2007 8:36:54 AM PDT by pabianice
FRAMINGHAM, MA - Firefighters putting out a blaze yesterday discovered illegal apartments in the basement of a Freeman Street apartment building.
Mark Levine of Needham will be issued a citation, fining him probably less than $300 for having the illegal rooms in the basement of 9 Freeman St., said Inspectional Services Director Mike Foley.
"He rented it to a family on the first floor and he gave them permission to sublet it to others," said Foley. "We want him to be aware this is a very serious issue in town."
The fire displaced at least seven people.
The apartment at 9 Freeman St. is part of a four-unit townhouse-style building and is connected to 11, 13 and 15 Freeman St. The other apartments were not damaged in the fire and did not have any illegal rooms, although the basements were so cluttered Foley said he ordered them to be emptied.
Finding the illegal rooms, with unexpected walls and doorways, made fighting the 7:15 a.m. fire more dangerous than it should have been, Assistant Fire Chief John Magri said.
"The worst part of the illegal apartments is the illegal construction that goes along with it," he said. "There's no permitting. There's no oversight, and it puts our firefighters in danger."
The fire started in the basement due to the overuse of extension cords, Magri said. With many illegal apartments, so many extension cords are used it puts too much stress on the fuse boxes, he said.
Firefighters, who spent about 15 minutes knocking down the flames, were met with a wall made with 2-by-4s and drywall used to separate the two rooms in the basement.
One of the residents, a 41-year-old woman, was taken to MetroWest Medical Center's Framingham Union campus to be treated for smoke inhalation, Magri said.
Between five and seven adults and two children lived in the one unit, Foley said. Five college students lived in another one of the units.
"The activity will be ceased," he said.
Levine told Foley he had told the residents to stop using the apartment as a rooming house, but did not do so in writing. Levine was aware the basement was still being used, Foley said.
"It's not that he wasn't aware this was going on. He goes there once a month to empty the coins from the washing machines," he said.
Levine could not be reached for comment yesterday.
The American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay was called to help the residents who were displaced. Spokeswoman Amelia Aubourg said the Red Cross is providing food and lodging to seven people.
(Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or at nmiller@cnc.com.)
illegal apartment, illegal construction, some how that part of illegal is understood, but the 18% illegal alien status is not..
$300. That just lowers his profit margin a smidge. I wonder how many such homes he owns in Framingham? And elsewhere?
They’re just causing the electrical fires that Americans won’t.....
One of our Dept. Chiefs told me that at several house fires in MY neighborhood they found row after row of particle board cubicles with mattresses in them. They went up like gasoline.
They find the same thing here in New York, also as a result of fires. Both renters and firefighters die as a result:
Not Just Shabby and Dismal, Illegal Apartments Can Kill - New York ...
D’oh! You don’t suppose those residents were perhaps Brazilian, do you?
This guy ought to be shot.
I don’t think he should be shot, but the fine should sting a hell of a lot more.
Deval probably already called the ACLU to defend the tenants in a Civil rights Suit. Levine will be taken to the cleaners.
I thought “going to the mattresses” was just an expression, but didn’t Clemenza actually take Paully mattress shopping just before the “leave the gun, take the canlolis” scene?
Clemenza took Paulie Gatto out looking for apartments to hole up in and kill their opponents (going to the mattresses). He mentions to Paulie that he wants him to go out next day and buy a bunch of mattresses for the guys to sleep on and to “make sure they’re clean.”
They're not illegal apartments, they're undocumented apartments.
Aha, so “going to the mattresses” may involve actual mattresses. And sometimes canoli.
Yes it does. I first found “going to the mattresses” while reading “The Executioner” book series in the 70’s, a good year or so before “The Godfather.”
So, maybe it was a big hit?
LOL!.....YOU SAY POTATOS, I SAY POTATOES :D
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.