Exclusive: Scathing letter from officials demand explanation into discrepancies in Spring Valley s record keeping amid fatal fire
News 12 Staff
Updated on: Jul 15, 2021, 2:30pm
News 12 has discovered new information that reveals the state is coming down hard on Spring Valley s mayor about the fatal fire at the Evergreen Court assisted living center - saying there are serious “discrepancies” in the village’s record-keeping.
Our Tara Rosenblum has obtained a scathing letter that New York state officials sent to Spring Valley Mayor Alan Simon, asking him to explain why the village said the assisted living center was inspected in April 2019 when there are no building inspection records from the past three years.
Four Suspects Plead Not Guilty in Evergreen Fire Case rocklandtimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rocklandtimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Spring Valley employees back in court to face charges connected to fatal Evergreen fire
News 12 Staff
Updated on: Jul 14, 2021, 2:37am
The chief and the assistant building inspectors for Spring Valley were in court Tuesday for their alleged roles in the Evergreen fire in late March that claimed the life of 35-year-old firefighter Jared Lloyd and one resident.
Wayne Ballard and Raymond Canario are accused of filing false inspection reports to the state years before the fire took place.
But building inspection documents that investigators took from Village Hall this past June could reveal more.
The pair are among six people charged, including Rabbi Nathaniel Sommer and his son, Aaron, as well as two employees of the adult home - Director Denise Kerr and Emanuel Lema.
Evergreen Court fire: Wayne Ballard pleads not guilty lohud.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lohud.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Two counts of reckless endangerment
Both men were arraigned and are being held at that the Rockland County Jail. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, July 2.
Also arrested were Spring Valley building inspectors Wayne Ballard and Raymond Canario who were both charged with filing false reports to the state in connection with fire inspections.
They were officially charged with offering a false instrument of filing and falsifying business records.
They were processed and released.
Walsh said arrest warrants were also issued for Denise Kerr of New York City and Manuel Lema of Pomona.
Kerr is facing a charge of reckless endangerment, and Lema faces charges of criminal impersonation and obstructing governmental administration.