BREAKING: Meth Lab Bldg Had Serious Fire Safety Violations

left: Violation Notice issued to HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia on 2/5/13, top right: 501 Marshall Drive, location of meth lab bot right: typical household ingredients used to make meth

Simply stunning.  GA has discovered that 501 Marshall Drive, the HHA building that housed a meth lab, was cited for dangerous fire safety code violations last February.That's when a Hoboken Fire Marshall found that 501 Marshall Drive had no working generator to power it's fire suppression systems (in an emergency).

Like an exploding meth lab.

Meth lab explosion

Yes, meth labs do explode.  Often.  In 2004, there were 17,170 meth lab “incidents.”   

Even if they don't, they pose long-term health risks to other building residents through poisoned building structure, finishes, furniture and personal property.  According to an environmental remediation group:

The probability that methamphetamine will contaminate a building where a cook has occurred is almost certain. 

It is also certain that contamination persists weeks, months, and possibly years after a meth cook or cooks have occurred. It is highly likely that methamphetamine contamination will occur in furniture, floors, walls, furnishings, clothing and personal items such as toys.

The HHA Board must have 501 Marshall Drive tested for contamination. And if needed, remediate  the building for the health of its residents- including Beth Mason employee Matt Caliccho, a neighbor of the meth lab.

Perhaps the residents of this tainted building should consider themselves lucky- because they were living in a building NJ Fire Safety inspectors considered an "imminent hazard".

Here's the story, according to Hoboken Fire Chief Blohm's report to the administration.  

On Friday, February 1, 2013 Blohm received a call from the Acting Director of the NJ Division of Fire Safety, William Kramer.  Kramer told him that inspectors had been at the HHA the previous day, and:

"Mr. Kramer went on to say that there were several buildings that had no backup generator power, that fire pumps had been removed from various buildings and that fire alarm panels had their "guts" removed and he was not sure that permits had been taken out to do so.

He specifically said to me that if it were not for the volume of residents that would be displaced he would deem all of those buildings as imminent hazards." 

Kramer told Blohm to apprise the mayor immediately, which he did.  Then Blohm dispatched Fire Marshall Captain Dave Buoncuore to the HHA.

That Sunday, February 3, 2013 Blohm reported to the administration that "the HHA was up and running" and fire watches were ended.

On February 5, 2013 HHA ED Carmelo Garcia was slapped with a Notice of Violation citing that he had "failed obtain the proper Building Permits for all the City of Hoboken housing buildings that were damaged by the Super Storm Sandy: electrical wiring, panels, switch gear, motors, motor controls, fire system and fire panels, fire pumps and any building structures"

Then on February 14, 2013 Chief Blohm appeared at the HHA to deliver his findings to the HHA Commissioners. There the public learned the stunning news:  6 HHA buildings were without properly functioning generators.

What do building generators do in a fire?  They power emergency lighting, exits signs, alarms, electric motor pumps for sprinklers.

One of the buildings with NO GENERATOR was 501 Marshall Drive, where the 5th floor meth lab found by police on Monday. 

Imagine the carnage if there HAD been a meth lab fire or explosion, in a building without a working generator.   

The warning signs of a meth lab are:

• Strong odor of solvents.
• Residences with windows blacked out.
• Iodine or chemical stained bathroom or kitchen fixtures.
• Increased activity, especially at night.
• Excessive trash 

And nobody knew?