Number	24168
Subject	Fire Departments
Source	WWOR-TV (Secaucus, N.J.)
State	NJ
Year	2008
Publication Date	10/29/2008; 10/30/2008
Summary	This investigation revealed that hundreds of commercial building and large apartment buildings in New York City have been allowed to operate with defective and potentially dangerous fire alarm systems despite obvious violations found by Fire department civilian inspectors. This includes some hospitals, schools and department stores. Two inspectors alleged that, because of corruption, the fire department allowed buildings to get letters of approval needed for legal occupancy even with numerous fire alarm safety violations when certain former inspectors, working as consultants or expediters, were hired by the buildings' owners. Because of this investigation, the city council will hold public hearings on these allegations and comptroller William Thompson has turned over information from this investigation to "criminal authorities."
Category	Contest Entry
Pages	15
Keywords	fire departments; New Jersey; corruption; dishonest hiring; building inspections
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