From ABC7 New York · · 1m 30s
Queens woman gets $1,100 after first responders broke her door
When firefighters broke down the wrong apartment door, the city initially denied her claim. 7 On Your Side helped her get reimbursed.
In brief
When firefighters broke down the wrong apartment door, the city initially denied her claim. 7 On Your Side helped her get reimbursed. If first responders damage your property, request the full incident report to find errors, then escalate to the comptroller's office for reimbursement. Originally reported by ABC7 New…
First responders break down wrong door
Firefighters and EMS broke into Sherri Teicher's Queens apartment looking for someone who called 911. No one was home and no one had called from her address.
“I wasn't home. Nobody called from my address, so I didn't know what happened.”
The damage bill arrives
The door was completely destroyed, splintered into pieces. Teicher faced a $1,100 repair bill and submitted her Ring camera footage as proof.
“All that this is, was all busted, all broken and busted. Wood was popping out.”
City denies the claim
The comptroller's office rejected her claim, saying it was disallowed and not due to city negligence. Teicher was told to contact the fire department, which refused to explain what happened.
“Disallowed, not due to the city's negligence. Whose negligence then was it due to?”
The key detail emerges
Teicher requested the full incident report and discovered the call was actually for apartment 67 next door, not her apartment 69. First responders had gone to the wrong address.
“According to this, they were supposed to go to a neighbor next door.”
7 On Your Side steps in
Teicher contacted the ABC7 consumer advocacy team. 7 On Your Side sent the incident report and her address to the city comptroller.
“I've seen you on TV, and you've gotten good results with everything.”
Comptroller approves reimbursement
Within days, the city comptroller approved the full $1,100 reimbursement for the door replacement. The case was resolved after 7 On Your Side's intervention.
“This is the email from the comptroller, and we are getting reimbursed for our door.”
The key point
If first responders damage your property, request the full incident report to find errors, then escalate to the comptroller's office for reimbursement.
