Master plumber who held the permits for the work in the buildings destroyed in an explosion found repeatedly negligent and submitted materially false documents to Buildings. Andrew Trombettas, a master plumber affiliated with S. K. Piping & Heating Corp., located at 2103 21st Avenue in Astoria, and Beta Plumbing & Heating Corp, located at 1201 Astoria Blvd in Astoria, has been issued approximately 400 plumbing permits. Following an explosion at a building for which Trombettas had been issued a permit, the Department of Buildings audited all projects Trombettas was involved in since 2010. Buildings issued Trombettas approximately 82 notice of violations following inspections at 25 locations.

At the four-day hearing Buildings argued that Trombettas violated sections 28-401.19(2), (6), and (11) of the Administrative Code, and sought revocation of his master plumber’s license. Buildings presented testimony of five witnesses including Chief of Plumbing Enforcement Shawn Jones and four inspectors who issued Trombettas violations in March and April 2015. Trombettas testified on his own behalf.

ALJ Astrid B. Gloade determined that Trombettas was repeatedly negligent in performing his work on numerous projects for which he obtained permits, endangered public safety by creating risks of gas explosions, and violated applicable laws and rules on at least 14 occasions. The ALJ found Tromettas’s testimony throughout the hearings deliberately vague, inconsistent, self-serving, and largely not credible. The ALJ also found that Trombettas submitted documents to Buildings that contained materially false or misleading statements. Therefore, the ALJ recommended that revocation of Trombettas’s license was appropriate.

 Dep’t of Buildings v. Trombettas, OATH Index No. 2325/15 (Jan. 29, 2016).

By: Danielle Librandi, (Danielle is a student at New York Law School, Class of 2016).