By Adam Nichols
DNAinfo News Editor
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — A Washington Heights apartment building that burned Saturday night had several violations that city officials have been investigating for years.
The building, at 607 West 180th St., caught fire at 6.30 p.m., according to the fire department. The cause was unknown.
Department of Buildings records show 19 violations dating back to 1994, most of which concern the building's boiler. Of those, 16 violations were still being investigated.
Building owners Katy and Julian Rodriguez also own 708 West 177th St., which caught on fire in November. That fire was ruled an electrical malfunction by the FDNY last year.
The official records also showed 30 complaints had been received by people concerned about the safety of the building.
NY1 reported the number of violations was much higher, claiming housing officials said there were 192 being investigated.
The news station also reported that residents claimed the building had no smoke detectors, which are required by law.
"We've been complaining and complaining," one tenant told the station.
"(The landlord) doesn't take care of anything. He doesn't care. All he wants to do is collect rent."
"There's a whole bunch of issues in the building," said another tenant.
A tenant, Aida Camachor, 46, told DNAinfo, "I know the super was working on the electrics in the apartment where the fire started."
Nobody was seriously hurt in the fire.
