About 150 residents of a pricey Brooklyn apartment building were forced to evacuate yesterday when authorities found something not kosher – an unsafe, illegal matzo factory, fire officials said.
Two grain silos used for baking matzo were discovered in the basement of the posh building on Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, said FDNY Deputy Chief Joe Woznica. He said grain becomes “highly explosive” when processed.
“Residents were living with two large bombs in the basement,” he said.
The formerly commercial building had been converted illegally to rental loft residences, and was cited for several code violations, authorities said.
Residents were forced to stay somewhere else or go to a temporary shelter set up at a nearby school.
It wasn’t immediately clear when they’d be allowed back in.
“It has to be the coldest day,” said resident Caitlin Biskup, 22.
“I was really excited to come home, catch a movie and have tea. Now I’m just homeless.”
Building owner Nachman Brach could not be reached.
But community activist Isaac Abraham said the owner was working to rectify the situation.
The owner “was caught totally off guard with certain violations,” Abraham said.
Brach has also been cited for violations in another building he owned, where firefighter Daniel Pujdak fell 60 feet to his death in June.