Jeannette landlord accused of endangering firefighters, neighbor with flame-shooting furnace

A landlord who believes he is making Jeannette a better place, but who city officials claim has been a thorn in their side for years, is accused of ignoring the dangers of a faulty furnace and endangering the lives of five firefighters and a neighbor, police Chief Shannon Binda said.

“Not only their lives, but their properties,” Binda said. “There’s a reason why (the furnace) was red-tagged by the gas company.”

Charles B. Schade, 77, of Irwin is accused by city police of lighting a furnace that had been deemed unsafe by Columbia Gas and firefighters at one of his properties, according to court papers. He was charged Monday with risking a catastrophe and reckless endangerment.

Reached Tuesday by the Tribune-Review, Schade (pronounced “Shah-dee”) said he has improved each of his 46 Jeannette properties and places carbon monoxide detectors in each unit.

“Everything’s done that they want done. I’ve done it,” Schade said. “My properties don’t look like dumps. I got people in them.”

Fire Chief Bill Frye told police that firefighters were called to the duplex on South Fifth Street at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 for a report of a furnace problem, according to court papers. Schade owns the half of the duplex, with his unit sitting vacant. The other side, which he does not own, is occupied by a woman.

Firefighters found flames shooting out the side of the furnace in Schade’s unit and the flue used to ventilate carbon monoxide was clogged, according to court papers. Schade was notified to clean the flue before using the furnace. Three days later, Columbia Gas affixed a red tag to the furnace, warning it should not be relighted because of a defective vent and controls.

Firefighters were again called to the duplex just before 10 a.m. Feb. 17 for a reported carbon monoxide situation, according to court papers. They found the furnace on Schade’s side — which was still marked with the red tag — was again running with flames shooting out the sides, police said.

The neighbor told police she saw Schade entering his property that day in her security camera, according to court papers. Firefighters provided the woman with a carbon monoxide detector.

Schade admitted to relighting the boiler, police said. He said the flue was cleaned after Feb. 17 and the furnace was working. On Monday, he contacted the city to schedule an inspection, which is to be conducted this week.

“The next thing you know, I’m arrested,” said Schade, who is free on $1,500 unsecured bond. A preliminary hearing is set for March 26.

The furnace was vandalized after the front door to the unit was left unlocked, Schade said. He plans to rent the unit after getting an occupancy permit from the city.

Records show no one has lived in Schade’s unit since 2014, Frye said.

The city has been dealing with Schade for years, Binda said. Ed Howley, who was code official for the city for about 13 years, said he regularly cited Schade for numerous violations at his rental properties.

“If Jeannette really had the time to deal with him, you’d have a (code) officer full time for Mr. Schade,” Howley said.

Mayor Curtis Antoniak said some of Schade’s properties “are not very nice.”

“He’s one of those landlords, I believe, who take advantage of the poor, the meek, the lowly,” Antoniak said. “Some of his places are very bad to live in, and I am one that will fight tooth and nail for these people.”

Schade said some of his properties are classified as Section 8. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development subsidizes rent for low-income residents through its Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8.

“I feel I am improving the town,” Schade said. “I like what I am doing.”

The Westmoreland County Housing Authority inspects Section 8 properties annually and when a new tenant moves in. Director Michael Washowich said 11 of Schade’s Jeannette properties qualify as Section 8 housing. The South Fifth Street unit is not one of them. If a Section 8 unit is occupied, then it passed inspection, Washowich said.