A Catastrophe Waiting to Happen

With some of the hottest days of summer still ahead, New Square, a Hasidic village of the Skverer sect in upstate New York, is a catastrophe waiting to happen, local fire officials say. It is a fear that they have faced each summer for many years. Most of the buildings in the village violate the municipal and state fire codes, they say, posing a serious threat to residents and volunteer firefighters there.

“At least 60% of the structures in New Square have serious code violations,” said Kim Weppler, who retired in April as chief of the fire department responsible for New Square. “It’s only a matter of time before someone gets killed.”