A Rockland assemblyman says he is encouraged by the progress that the investigation has made thus far into the fatal Spring Valley fire earlier this year but says it is far from over. Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski says stronger efforts need to be made to make sure fires like the one at the Evergreen Court Home for Adults don’t happen again…
Five people so far have been charged in connection with the blaze that killed a resident and volunteer firefighter Jared Lloyd. Among them, two Spring Valley building department officials and two outside contractors. News 12 says 47 year-old Manuel Lema, an Evergreen employee, pleaded not guilty yesterday to criminal impersonation and obstructing governmental administration charges. He reportedly called the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office to have Evergreen’s fire alarm system taken offline and placed in test mode. An arrest warrant is still out for for the facility’s director, Denise Kerr. Rockland’s Fire and Emergency Services Director Chris Kear says the investigation continues, and he urges people not to jump to conclusions.