Former tenant of James Street landlord speaks out
Story Created:
Sep 22, 2009 at 10:40 AM EST
Story Updated:
Sep 22, 2009 at 6:09 PM EST
UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - Fire investigators are still pouring through facts and evidence - two days after a blaze ripped through 102 James Street killing four people.
Chief Fire Marshal Raymond Beck said no cause has been determined as of yet, but that the fire started in a first-floor kitchen before traveling up all the way to the attic.
Meanwhile, a woman who used to live in one of the owner's other apartments is speaking out, and she's not shedding a good light on the embattled landlord.
Judy Martin was not a tenant at the James Street apartment we've been talking about since the weekend. She lived at a separate Klotz building on College Street in Clinton, and says beyond poor upkeep, she and other residents went without heat one winter for four days.
Copies of letters sent by Martin to Klotz last year detail numerous complaints during her four-year stint there.
Klotz no longer owns the property. However, during the time he did, Martin said life inside was miserable. Broken doors, leaky ceilings and a moldy carpet - these are just a few issues Martin said she dealt with to go along with during a brief stretch.
"It was like living outside," Martin said. "I did go out and buy an electric heater, and I said I would deduct it from my rent. Mister Klotz said 'absolutely not,' and that I'm paying for it, then I own it."
Klotz offered no comment regarding Martin's claims or the James Street fire investigation. He said NEWSChannel 2 should look for more information before doing this story. When asked for an extended interview to provide more information, Klotz said that is a possibility in the future, but declined to be interviewed or comment currently.
