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Bronx wind turbine’s blades fly off, smashing car and billboard
Credit: By Craig McCarthy | December 30, 2019 | nypost.com ~~
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Blades from a controversial wind turbine in Baychester flew off the massive structure Monday, crashing to the street below, according to officials.
No one was injured – but a car was smashed and a billboard was knocked down around 1:20 p.m. at 500 Baychester Avenue, according to fire and police officials.
State Sen. Jamaal Bailey and Assemblyman Mike Benedetto claimed at the scene in an impromptu press conference the structure was put up quick “in order to try and make a buck” – and called on the city Department of Buildings to “make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.”
“This shouldn’t have been put up so hastily. A wind turbine should not be able to be taken down by the wind,” Bailey said.
A spokesperson for the DOB said investigators were on scene and had given the owner two violations for “failure to maintain both the monopole structure and the adjacent sign.” A full-stop order was issued and the three commercial businesses were vacated from the building.
The agency did not respond to the lawmakers’ claims.
Sonya, an employee at the Apple Bank next door who would only give her first name, told The Post, she was “concerned if it’s going to fall on in our parking lot or the branch itself.”
The 250-foot mono-pole turbine, topped with vertical spinning blades was not a welcome sight to locals when the pieces rolled in on two flatbed trucks on Dec. 12, according to reports.
The Department of Buildings received several 311 calls reporting possible “illegal work” at the site as workers installed the turbine, according to News 12.
The turbine started spinning, providing power to buildings nearby, on Dec. 17, The Bronx Times reported.
It has also been a point of contention among lawmakers who have sparred over the property’s zoning, which hasn’t changed since the spot was part of the short-lived Freedomland theme park, according to the paper.
The old local regulations don’t limit the height of construction on the plot – an issue that irked Baychester residents when a 50-foot illuminated billboard was erected two years ago, News 12 reported.
Nearby residents in Co-op City were outraged over the billboard’s appearance and lights at the busy intersection, where there’s also a 7/11 and pharmacy.
Ironically, wind gusts up to 35 mph appeared to have caused the top of the recently finished turbine to break off, taking out the billboard below.
The listed owner of property, Baychester Retail III LLC, could not immediately be reached for comment.
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| Tag: Accidents |
