"Both elevators at Surf Vets Place, located on West 21st Street, have been broken since May 1. A management spokesperson with Concern Housing told News 12 on Thursday that a fire in one of the apartments activated the sprinkler system, which caused significant water damage to the elevators. The FDNY said firefighters were called to the complex for a report of food on a stove, but there was no fire, and officials could not confirm if the sprinklers went off."
""It's hard to not have the elevators and have [my father] stuck here [in the apartment]," said Tesheena Dejoie, a tenant who is caring for her father after he spent months in the ICU and is using a wheelchair. Tenants are now stuck climbing the stairs of the 10-story building. A management spokesperson said onsite staff are available to assist residents, but Dejoie said otherwise."
""I went to management that day to say, 'Hey, can I get help getting upstairs with my father? He's disabled. He's going to be staying with me for a little bit. Can I get some help?'" said Dejoie. "They were just like, 'No, we're not allowed to touch anyone.'" On Thursday, News 12 spoke with other tenants who shared similar stories about needing neighbors or family for help."
""It's beyond an inconvenience," said Anthony Jackson, a tenant and Vietnam veteran. "I have to climb and have somebody with me to carry my walker down." "It's very frustrating," said Lehman Jones Jr., a tenant and U.S. Marine. "It seems to happen very frequently, and there's a lot of disabled people and elderly here; and it's tough when you live on the 8th floor, the 9th floor.""
Both elevators at Surf Vets Place on West 21st Street have been out of service since May 1. Tenants report frustration and difficulty using stairs, especially because many residents are disabled veterans, older adults, and wheelchair users. A management spokesperson said a fire in an apartment activated the sprinkler system, causing significant water damage to the elevators. Firefighters were called for a report of food on a stove, but no fire was found, and officials could not confirm whether sprinklers activated. Tenants say onsite staff assistance has been limited, including a disabled tenant’s request for help carrying a wheelchair user upstairs. Other residents describe repeated elevator failures over the past year and the need for neighbors to manage mobility equipment.
Read at News 12 - Long Island
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