Mourning relatives of a family that was killed in a Harlem apartment fire on May 8 are planning to sue New York City for a whopping $2.2 billion, according to reports.
New York Post spoke with the family’s lawyer, Evan Oshan, who is representing the only surviving daughter of the fire. “It’s hard to put a dollar value on the loss of human life, but the $2.2 billion, we feel, is appropriate in light of the current situation,” Oshan told the paper.
While the figure may seem high, Oshan said it’s reasonable consider that $2.2 billion is the same amount Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration agreed to pay to settle a probe into the health and safety conditions of New York City’s housing projects.
The NY Post also claimed that in addition to the $2.2 billion, Raven Reyes the surviving daughter of victim Andrea Pollidore, who was the 45-year-old matriarch of the family, is seeking an additional $18 million for emotional damages. Reyes filed a wrongful death claim on May 14.
But she isn’t the only one seeking damages. Natelle Pollidore, Andrea Pollidore’s sister, wants compensation from her sister’s estate for $ $37,773 to cover funeral costs, the Post reported.
FDNY said the blaze was caused by an unattended stove which was not detected, as Andrea Pollidore is believed to have removed the apartment’s smoke alarm. The fire trapped her and her children in two rooms in the apartment. The other victims have been identified as Pollidore’s stepson Matt Abdularaph, 33, Nakaira Pollidore, 11, Andre Pollidore, 8, Brooklyn Pollidore, 6, and Elijah Pollidore, 3.
Another surviving family member, Pollidore’s 30-year-old son, Hakeem told the Post that, “There are still a lot of red flags and questions we haven’t had answered yet.” And additionally said, “We just want answers. That’s what we need.”
