20 The QUEE NS Courier • juLY 11, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com BREEZY BURNED Lawsuit alleges negligence by power companies during Sandy BY MAGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com The Breezy Point blaze during Sandy was “so massive, it looked like a forest fire,” said Billy Heeran, a Rockaway resident. Heeran owned what has been called an “iconic restaurant” in the neighborhood, the Harbor Light Pub. The family business had stayed Photo Courtesy afloat of for over 30 years, but it was reduced to ashes the night of the storm. Dylan Smith, who died while surfing less than two months after rescuing people during Sandy, worked for Heeran for 10 years. Smith called Heeran that night to tell him the pub was on fire. “He said, ‘Billy, there’s fire blowing out of the windows,’” Heeran said. “I knew it was bad. There was no fire department getting in there.” Following the FDNY’s confirmation that the fire was electrical, people who lost homes and businesses decided to fight back. As previously reported by The Courier, a notice of claim was filed in January saying that residents were seeking damage compensation from power companies LIPA and National Grid. The negligence claim against the power companies was officially filed on Tuesday, July 3. It alleges that the two had a duty to provide for and ensure the safety of the property of those it supplies with electricity, such as Breezy Point, and was negligent in failing to de-energize the area prior to the storm. In the event of extreme flooding, power companies are advised to shut off electricity in vulnerable areas in order to prevent incidents Breezy Point residents who lost homes and businesses during the Sandy fire are suing LIPA and National Grid for negligence. such as electrical fires. The claim states that prior to Sandy, both LIPA and National Grid were aware of the necessity to do so. Law firms Sullivan and Galleshaw, LLP and Godosky and Gentile, P.C. are representing 120 people seeking different amounts of compensation based on damages. “It’s a tremendous burden on these folks,” said attorney Keith Sullivan, who was born and raised in the Rockaways. “They don’t have the money to rebuild.” He added that the fire victims will have to rebuild according to new building codes and FEMA requirements. LIPA issued a statement in response to the lawsuit saying the “effort to place fault for this tragedy with the utility is misplaced,” but the company is “sensitive to those PHOTO COURTESY OF SULLIVAN & GALLESHAW, LLP families who suffered tragic losses from Sandy.” Sullivan countered the statement, saying it is “completely ridiculous.” “That implies these people are making this up,” he said. “There’s nothing faint about their losses.” A National Grid spokesperson said the group has not yet received the lawsuit, but “National Grid’s actions during Sandy were reasonable and appropriate” and they “don’t believe that these claims have merit.” Heeran, who is also a local firefighter, said once he received the fire marshal’s report, he thought, “There’s negligence here.” “If the power was shut down, the fire would have never happened,” he said. “We would have been flooded, but would have been back up in business within 10 days.” New life for Fresh Meadows Hooters BY MELISA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com Fresh Meadows will soon get its second helping of Hooters, but one where the busty wait staff might be clad in a new getup. The once popular neighborhood rack shack at 61-09 190th Street will reopen later this summer as a new franchise under Marc Phaneuf. Officials said the establishment closed last October after Hooters of America axed a franchise agreement with Strix Restaurant Group, which ran the Fresh Meadows restaurant and three others on Long Island. Phaneuf said the dispute, and not a lack of business, caused the restaurant to close. “That actual location did a wonderful amount of business, a great amount,” he said. “They were very successful at that location.” Strix then rebranded the eatery Bud’s Ale House. The staff included more men — and less revealing outfits — in the hopes of attracting more customers. But the ale house went flat several months later, eventually closing in April. Now Phaneuf is shelling out more than $1 million to redo the restaurant before its slated late August grand opening. “We’re bringing it up to the latest and greatest version of Hooters,” he said, adding that the original Hooters in Fresh Meadows opened in 2009. “Every restaurant concept goes through changes. The decor, times change.” That could mean a slightly new uniform for the eatery’s Hooters girls, though nothing has been decided yet. The staff’s tight white tops are likely to remain untouched. But their bright orange skimpy bottoms could be swapped for skirts with hidden shorts under them, similar to those worn by cheerleaders, Phaneuf said. “It’s all about evolution in the restaurant industry,” he said. “Hooters of America is looking at new uniforms. Fresh Meadows just might be, because of its location and proximity to New York City, where they may be rolling out the new uniforms.” Phaneuf, who operates Hooters restaurants in Farmingdale, Albany and five locations in New England, said diners can also expect three times as many televisions, including some 90-inch sets. “That location will be the premiere location to watch sports in the Fresh Meadows market,” he said. The new franchisee also plans to hire about 100 staffers and put higher quality, healthier food items on the menu. ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ coming to Bayside eatery BY MELISA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com It might be a nightmare for Gordon Ramsay, but it’s a dream come true for one Queens restaurant and diners in the borough. “Kitchen Nightmares,” a hit reality television show on Fox, is kicking off its sixth season with its first production shoot at Kati Allo in Bayside. Internationally renowned chef Ramsay and his team will film in the Greek eatery at 29-06 172nd Street July 13-16. Producers are looking for diners over 18 years old to sit in while the show is recording. Those interested should email knqueensrest@ gmail.com. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants will be asked to complete a thorough survey detailing how frequent they dine at Greek or Mediterranean restaurants in Queens and what style restaurant and qualities they look for in an eatery. In “Kitchen Nightmares,” a no-nonsense Ramsay, who is prone to foul language, has one week to revive failing restaurants. Kati Allo, which means “something else” in Greek, has been owned by husband and wife Emmanuel and Christine Zavolas for 14 years. They said they could not comment before the episode airs. A spokesperson for the show said a date has not been set for the broadcast. Donald Gardner, a local who patronizes the restaurant twice a week, said the ambiance and service could improve. He added that the young wait staff is somewhat error-prone, while “delivery guys hang out in the front all the time,” he said. “I’ve never seen it crowded in there at all,” he said. “But this area isn’t the bevy of hot restaurants.” This is Ramsay’s second visit to Queens with the show and his fifth in New York City, officials said. PJ’s Steakhouse in Forest Hills appeared on “Kitchen Nightmares” in February 2011, but the restaurant ultimately closed down. Photo Courtesy Jeff Neira/FOX Kitchen Nightmares is coming to Kati Allo of Bayside later this week.
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