Thursday, January 31, 2008

Greater Security Needed at Collapsing Smallpox Hospital


The below video slide show starts like many videos by teenagers visiting Roosevelt Island and even includes a dozen or more pictures of the kids gaining access to the smallpox hospital (at about 2 minutes into the 4 minute video)and exploring its ruins even climbing among the structure on support beams. If a further collapse happened while they were inside and someone was hurt you can be sure their families will be suing RIOC, NYS, and NYC. Posting danger signs every 15 feet on the fence posts will never stop anyopne who wants to gain access.

We need greater security around this site now and through the upcoming stabilization project. If we don't someone is going to get hurt. I have heard no say "no one has been hurt yet" as I know our officials are good caring people but can we really wait until a tragedy happens. I know other than adding razor wire or posting a PSD officer at the site 24 hours / day there is not really much we can do but someone must be smarter than me in this regard.




1 comment:

  1. if a building says COLLAPSING AT ANY MOMENT and you -still- go in... well, you'll get a darwin award. and as long as the landlord's security features reasonably attempt to diminish an 'attractive nuisance,' legally they are ok.

    those kids actually looked pretty respectful, anyways. i saw no tagging.

    plus, the reason i moved here was fond memories of my climbing the smallpox and octagon ruins in 86!

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