NYCHA tenant's home ruined by leak on Thanksgiving

HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11) -- A mother of two in Harlem says her Thanksgiving was ruined by a bad leak above her apartment.

Marie Raphael says she was in her kitchen in the morning, getting her one-year-old daughter’s bottle ready, when water started rushing into her home.

Raphael says NYCHA crews immediately responded and tried to mop out the water, but the damage was done. In one of her videos, her flip-flops can be seen floating down the hallway.

Her mattresses, baby clothes, and toys were destroyed by hot water. Raphael believes the source of the leak was coming from the apartment above her on the tenth floor.

Now more than a week later, Raphael is sleeping on her friend’s couch until repairs are made. Her question is when will it be fixed and how long with it take, so she can return home.

A NYCHA spokesperson tells PIX11 News, “NYCHA staff recently responded to a broken pipe at 350 E 24th St. and addressed flooding conditions in the affected apartments the same day. We will continue to work with the affected residents to find a suitable resolution. Residents in need of assistance are encouraged to call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 or submit work tickets through the MyNYCHA application.”