And this is why illegal conversions are a big deal...

From the Times Ledger:

The South Jamaica home where a famed chair designer died during a fire last week had been illegally subdivided into four apartments, a spokeswoman for the city Buildings Department said.

The house, which had been OK’d as a two-family residence, was also issued violations for work without permits to create illegal apartments, plumbing and electrical work performed without a permit, defective or exposed electrical wiring and an illegal gas stove in the cellar, the spokeswoman said.

Three families had been living in separate apartments alongside that of 83-year-old Charles Pollock, residents said, and the tenants can no longer stay at the house on 157th Street near 115th Avenue until a vacate order issued by the DOB is lifted, the agency said. In addition, the property was also cited for failure to maintain a detached garage, the spokeswoman said.