Two skilled handymen lost their lives in New York City's torrential rainstorm, leaving behind devastated communities and unanswered questions about what might have led to their demise.
Aaron Akaberi, 39, was a familiar face in the Kingston Avenue building in Flatbush, Brooklyn, where he resided in a cramped subterranean apartment. Neighbors described him as an animal lover, often putting his dogs first. In an effort to save one of his pit bulls during Thursday's flood, Akaberi rushed back into his flooded apartment – but didn't emerge with the other dog.
Juan Carlos Montoya Hernandez, 43, was another handyman who met a tragic end in the Washington Heights neighborhood. The building's boiler room, where he had gone to fix a sputtering electrical system, became a deadly trap during Thursday's intense storm. As the waters rose, a crew pumped out water from the basement utility room – but it only made things worse.
"It was like family to us," said Maciel Abreu, an upstairs neighbor who relied on Montoya Hernandez for help with daily errands after she suffered a leg injury. "He was really helpful around here, really loved."
As investigators work to piece together the events leading up to these tragic deaths, some are raising concerns about the dangers of basement apartments in flood-prone areas. With 3 inches of rain falling over just two hours on Thursday, the city's Department of Buildings is now under scrutiny for not doing enough to address this issue.
The legalization effort for homeowners who want to turn their basements into rental units has created new safety regulations – but some say it may not be enough. The proposed units must have at least two exits and a sprinkler system, but the city will prohibit basement apartments in flood-prone areas.
It remains unclear whether Aaron Akaberi's building had any flood-control measures in place before his death. His landlord said he stopped renting out the basement apartment due to the flooding – but records show that the building was sold just months prior.
As for Juan Carlos Montoya Hernandez, it is believed that he touched an electrical wire while trying to help during the storm. Neighbors are still reeling from this loss and say that with the intensity of storms in New York City comes a lack of preparedness – something that they hope will be addressed through increased regulation and oversight.
In both cases, the loss of life serves as a stark reminder that our urban infrastructure is not always designed to withstand the forces of nature.
Aaron Akaberi, 39, was a familiar face in the Kingston Avenue building in Flatbush, Brooklyn, where he resided in a cramped subterranean apartment. Neighbors described him as an animal lover, often putting his dogs first. In an effort to save one of his pit bulls during Thursday's flood, Akaberi rushed back into his flooded apartment – but didn't emerge with the other dog.
Juan Carlos Montoya Hernandez, 43, was another handyman who met a tragic end in the Washington Heights neighborhood. The building's boiler room, where he had gone to fix a sputtering electrical system, became a deadly trap during Thursday's intense storm. As the waters rose, a crew pumped out water from the basement utility room – but it only made things worse.
"It was like family to us," said Maciel Abreu, an upstairs neighbor who relied on Montoya Hernandez for help with daily errands after she suffered a leg injury. "He was really helpful around here, really loved."
As investigators work to piece together the events leading up to these tragic deaths, some are raising concerns about the dangers of basement apartments in flood-prone areas. With 3 inches of rain falling over just two hours on Thursday, the city's Department of Buildings is now under scrutiny for not doing enough to address this issue.
The legalization effort for homeowners who want to turn their basements into rental units has created new safety regulations – but some say it may not be enough. The proposed units must have at least two exits and a sprinkler system, but the city will prohibit basement apartments in flood-prone areas.
It remains unclear whether Aaron Akaberi's building had any flood-control measures in place before his death. His landlord said he stopped renting out the basement apartment due to the flooding – but records show that the building was sold just months prior.
As for Juan Carlos Montoya Hernandez, it is believed that he touched an electrical wire while trying to help during the storm. Neighbors are still reeling from this loss and say that with the intensity of storms in New York City comes a lack of preparedness – something that they hope will be addressed through increased regulation and oversight.
In both cases, the loss of life serves as a stark reminder that our urban infrastructure is not always designed to withstand the forces of nature.
. I mean, can you imagine rushing back into your flooded apartment for one dog and not coming out with the other? 
That just doesn't sit right.
I get it, we need more housing options, but at what cost? Our safety should be the top priority here. And what's up with the sprinkler system and two exits requirement not being enough? That just doesn't seem right.
. How could that happen? 
I don't get it... 
, like, seriously! We can't keep living in areas where we're basically begging for danger 
. It's not just about basement apartments, it's about the whole infrastructure thing 
. Like, what's going on?! 
these guys were just trying to do their jobs & take care of their families, but Mother Nature was like "nah" 
. Like 3 inches of rain in just 2 hours? That's insane 
! 2 fatalities, and it could've been more 
. I mean, we're talking about a city that's already got over 8.4 million people 
... what are the chances, right? 
. And with a storm surge of up to 10 feet 
... it's just a ticking time bomb 
.
The city needs to step up its game and invest more in infrastructure 
.
.
... a single basement apartment can cost upwards of $10,000 to renovate 
. Our residents deserve it 
.
the city needs to take responsibility and figure out how to prevent this kind of thing from happening again, maybe invest in some flood-control measures or update the building codes to be more safe 
and what's even crazier is that these basements are still being used as rental units despite the risks 
the city needs to do better to address this issue ASAP 
. We need to do better, you know? Like, what's the point of having regulations if they're not enforced or implemented properly? It's all just so frustrating 
.
this is just devastating... 3 inches of rain in 2 hours? it's crazy how many lives can be lost in such a short time. i think the city needs to take responsibility for these flood-prone areas and make some serious changes. I mean, come on, who hasn't heard of basement apartments in NYC?