Statement By Senator Marty Golden On Deutsche Bank Building Fire

"As we mourn the loss of two of New York's bravest, the citizens of New York deserve answers from Governor Spitzer and LMDC Chair Avi Schick. The bottom line is that the Deutsche Bank building and this deconstruction project are LMDC responsibilities, and it is both unfortunate and outrageous that more wasn't done to ensure the safety of this work site and the people on it.

The more we learn about the safety hazards present throughout this work site, the more it becomes clear that it was a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off. Perhaps instead of giving a personal media tour of the building to a NY Times reporter last week, Chairman Schick should have been working overtime to better ensure the overall safety of this site.

Although the Spitzer Administration once declared its intent to hire only the 'best and the brightest,' it is becoming increasingly clear that this Administration places a higher premium on public relations, image control and partisan politics than it does on competence.

As we remember the lives of these two courageous men, we must also dedicate ourselves to finding out exactly what caused this great tragedy, and to taking every possible step to prevent such an event from ever occurring again. The thoughts and prayers of all Brooklynites -- and all New Yorkers -- go out to the families of these two heroic men, and we will do everything we can to provide them with support and assistance now and in the years to come."

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