Electrician accused of endangering hotels

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - A licensed master electrician created a potential fire hazard in five New York hotels by using wooden collars in his electrical work, an official alleges.

Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri alleges Maximum Electrical Contracting Corp. owner Robert Spallino even painted the wooden collars in order to make the items appear to be made from fireproof metal, the New York Post said.

"This contractor was willing to put people's lives in danger in order to save a few dollars, and his actions must not go unpunished," LiMandri told the newspaper.

New York city building code requires a metal fireproof conduit be used to rig electrical wires between the floors of a building. The wooden items found at the five New York hotels, one of which is under construction, have been replaced.

The wooden collars allegedly used by Spallino were flammable and could have caused electrical wires to become frayed and exposed, the Post reported.

While Spallino will not face criminal charges, the contractor has had his license suspended for a year and been hit with a $100,000 fine. Once his license is reinstated, Spallino will face a 2-year probationary period.