BROOKLYN, NY – A deadly incident has left a 74-year-old woman, Dale Singer, dead after bricks from her brownstone crashed on her as she cleared snow outside her apartment in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The incident happened on Tuesday at around 12:30 PM local time.
The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) confirmed the occurrence of the incident at Singer’s 120-year-old, two-story residence on 6th Avenue. During a structural inspection carried out by DOB personnel, it was determined that the lintel above the front entrance had collapsed onto the front stairs and the stoop.
Upon the incident, Singer was rushed to a nearby hospital in a critical condition, where she later died due to the severe injuries she suffered. Wylie Singer, her son, shared an account of the event. He expressed his shock and distress as he found his mother unconscious at the bottom of the landing.
The Daily News also received an eyewitness account from a neighbor who chose to stay anonymous but referred to herself as a friend of Dale. She narrated the horrific scene where she saw firefighters perform CPR on Singer. She further revealed that the landlord had been intending to sell the building, but no buyers had shown interest.
According to city records, no complaints had been lodged about the two-story apartment unit since 1991 except for an illegal curb cutout and driveway.
In response to the incident, the DOB conducted a full inspection of the building. A violation was issued to the property owner for failure to maintain the building, which also led to the issuance of a vacate order. The owner was also directed to hire a structural engineer to evaluate the building further and submit a report to the DOB.
To ensure public safety, city contractors are setting up a sidewalk shed around the building, the expenses of which will be borne by the property owner. The DOB forensic engineers will follow up with the owners about the necessary repairs.