All that’s left of this firefighter’s Breezy Point home after Hurricane Sandy is this empty lot — but that hasn’t stopped the clueless folks at LIPA and National Grid from slapping him with monthly utility bills that now total $1,605.
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SHOCK: No home, no meter, but firefighter Kieran Burke yesterday shows some of the many LIPA bills that keep coming for this empty spot.
“It’s another knife in my back!” fumed the FDNY’s Kieran Burke, a married father of two sons who grew up at 8 Irving Walk — which was incinerated during the storm.
“It’s infuriating. LIPA burned my house down because of their negligence. Now they’re sending these bills out as if nothing ever happened,” said Burke, 40.
About 120 Breezy Point homes were burned to the ground during Sandy because LIPA failed to turn off the power during the storm surge, 120 homeowners said in lawsuit notices filed in January.
Burke eventually got his electric and gas service turned off, but he kept getting bills.
As of April 7, his LIPA bills have totaled $772 since Sandy; his National Grid gas bills have hit $833.
The charges were based on estimated readings for meters — that were fried in the blaze.
“They’re not doing the actual readings because the meters don’t exist,” Burke fumed.
Burke called a LIPA rep, who seemed oblivious to the devastation at Breezy Point.
“The operator had no idea that these homes had burned down and could not offer an explanation why these bills continued to come,” Burke said.
A supervisor assured Burke that he wouldn’t have to pay.
But a week later, he got yet another National Grid gas tab for the April billing period.
Burke may not be alone.
The lawyer who filed notice of claims against LIPA said he’s heard similar complaints from other area residents.
“At some point, you just have to laugh or you’ll drive yourself crazy. But it’s certainly pouring salt in their wounds,” said Keith Sullivan.
Burke, his wife Jennifer, 40, and sons, Kieran James, 2, and infant Matthew Patrick Burke, have bounced around in hotel rooms and have only recently landed a rental in Yonkers.
But LIPA and National Grid managed to track them down, sending bills to a temporary postal-box address in New Jersey.
After The Post contacted National Grid and LIPA yesterday, the companies admitted fault.
“Everything should be cleared up as of today,” a LIPA spokeswoman said.
Burke remained skeptical, saying, “I’ll believe it when the bills stop coming.”
New York Post - May 9, 2013
Jamie Schram and Bob Fredericks
Image: Dennithephoto.com
