Grand Jury Indicts 2 Village Employees Over Fatal Adult Home Fire

New City NY

15 November, 2021

10:38 AM

Description

SPRING VALLEY, NY — A Rockland County Grand Jury handed indictments against two Spring Valley building department employees as a result of the continuing investigation into the fatal fire that occurred in March at the Evergreen Adult Home, Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh announced. "These indictments are a result of the continuing investigation into the fatal fire that claimed the lives of a volunteer firefighter and a resident of the Evergreen home," Walsh said. "My office continues to work hard, following through on our commitment to leave no stone unturned in this tragic incident." Wayne Ballard, the head of Spring Valley's building and public works departments, and Raymond Canario, the village's chief building inspector, are charged with filing false reports. Ballard is one of the higher-paid employees in the village; Canario is also a volunteer firefighter. The converted 1903 hotel in Spring Valley was destroyed in a massive blaze from which more than 100 people had to be rescued, and which killed firefighter Jared Lloyd and resident Oliver Hueston and injured about a dozen people. Lloyd, 35, was rescuing residents. He had sent out a Mayday call from an upper floor before it collapsed, but he could not be reached. Canario, 45, was indicted on 3 counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, 3 counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree, and 3 counts of Falsifying Business Records in the Second Degree. Ballard, 64, was indicted on 1 count of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, 1 count of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree, and 1 count of Falsifying Business Records in the Second Degree. Village Hall was raided in June by investigators seeking documents and records. Ballard and Canario both pleaded not guilty to felony charges in July in village court. Spring Valley has long been known for its lack of oversight and enforcement of building and safety codes. A state monitor was actually in place at the time of the fire and the village had been required to file reports with the state on code inspections and compliance actions. Walsh and other investigators have refused to give details about the investigation. However, some information about the village's enforcement issues came in a letter to the village in April from the New York State Division of Buildings Standards and Codes saying inspection of Evergreen was not documented in required reports to the state and demanding an audit, The Journal News reported. Six people have been charged, and two others indicted by a grand jury: Rabbi Aaron Sommer and his father, Rabbi Nathaniel Sommer, who had conducted a pre-Passover kitchen cleaning hours before the conflagration which included using special blowtorches for which they did not have a permit to remove all traces of leavening from the facility's industrial ovens. Arraignment dates have not yet been provided for either Ballard or Canario, prosecutors said. SEE ALSO: Rabbis Indicted Over Fatal Adult Home FireSpring Valley Fire: 1 Dead, 11 Hurt, Firefighter MissingFatal Fire: Sources Say Alarms Were Off For Pre-Passover CleaningVillage Hall Raided In Investigation Of Fatal Fire