Councilman Gioia, who chairs the City Council Committee on Oversight and Investigations, cited three fatal gas leak incidents in two years and Con Ed’s failure to adequately control rates and invest in new technologies as the basis for his recommendation.
Mrs. Ghanwatti Boodram, a mother of three, was killed when her 80-50 260th Street home in Floral Park was leveled in a gas leak explosion. The fire spread to nearby homes, causing numerous injuries and evacuation of the entire street.
The Con Ed workers were investigating a report of gas odor on the street at the time of the accident. Friday’s incident follows the November, 2007 gas leak explosion that killed a woman in Sunnyside, and the July 2007 steam pipe explosion on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.
“Kevin Burke should resign or be fired by his shareholders,” said Councilman Gioia. “Homes and streets should not be exploding, period. Three deadly explosions within two years is an outrage, and demands accountability at the highest levels. That starts with CEO Kevin Burke,” he continued.
“New Yorkers pay some of the highest utility rates in the country and the least they should be able to expect is that when there is a gas leak they will be safe and protected. Con Ed clearly does not understand the special role it plays in New York, and that it is a failure of Kevin Burke,” further noted Councilman Gioia.
According to the reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Con Ed’s executives receive significantly higher pay than their counterparts at other utility companies. Con Ed’s CEO earned $5,519,287 in 2007, as compared to $3,416,066 earned by the CEO of Reliant Energy and $3,754,446 earned by the CEO of Southern California Edison.
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