B’klyn PS ‘fire’able offenses 6 safety violations
Brooklyn school custodian Nick Pascale fiddles while PS 297 could potentially burn.
FDNY inspectors slapped Pascale with six fire-code violations on March 1 — including three for storing equipment filled with combustible fuel inside the Bedford-Stuyvesant school.
It’s a serious safety breach, experts said, because fumes from gasoline-powered equipment such as snowblowers or lawn mowers can ignite and start a fire.
But Pascale, the chief custodian responsible for fireproofing the building, made light of the hazards by showing off the stack of citations on his Instagram page March 1 with the breezy comment, “Just one of those days.”
He added five hashtags including “#Custodian problems.” His followers added comments such as “Yikes!” and “That looks like a lot of violations, mr. custodian.”
Parents at the 256-student school were not amused.
“That’s playing with my daughter’s life,” said Nikkie Lopez, whose child is in fourth grade.
Pascale’s Instagram page displayed other photos taken inside the school. One showed him, with another man, riding a bike down a hallway — apparently after hours.
Another showed him with his feet up on a desk: “My #View for the next two days . . . #SnowMoney #OT #CustodianLife #NYC #DeptofEd #Blizzard of 2016.”
“That’s somebody everybody trusts goofing around and not taking it seriously,” said Crystal Jacobs, whose daughter, Jade, 4, is in pre-K. “Ha ha, real funny.”
Pascale took down his Instagram page following questions from The Post and did not return messages seeking comment.
Principal James Brown refused to speak with a reporter.
Toya Holness, a Department of Education spokeswoman, said the other code violations were for excessive decorations; faulty or missing emergency lighting; and failing to display a certificate assuring that hangings are flame-resistant.
“Safety comes first and we are treating this with the utmost seriousness,” Holness said.
Pascale’s base salary is $72,620.