A community fridge in Nyack that was placed outside for people to access 24/7 has been deemed unsafe by the village. 

The Nyack Center debuted the fridge last week as a resource for people in need to grab healthy, clean fruits and vegetables whenever they needed it. No appointments or identification were required to use it. 

Kim Cross, of the Nyack Center, says the fridge made a large impact in the few days it was open for the community where many live below the poverty line.  

“I went outside with a couple moms and their kids. Kids went racing ahead, opened it up and you would've thought that Santa Claus was inside the fridge. These three kids had never seen a full refrigerator before,” she says.  

However, the village’s fire inspector declared the fridge unsafe and prohibited its use. 

Village Administrator Andrew Stuart told News 12 the fridge did not go to the Architectural Review Board for approval, which is required to place anything mechanical outside. 

He says it also violated certain village codes that say you cannot leave a fridge outdoors with its door still on, as it is a safety risk. 

It also needs to be shown that the fridge can operate safely outdoors under all circumstances.  

Cross says moving the fridge indoors goes against the original concept and makes it less accessible.

“The concept is it's 24/7, so if I work at night I can come here and get food for my family. If I want to donate, which is the other part of this, I get out of work, I can come here and drop it off when it's convenient for me,” she says.

The fridge will have to remain indoors until all permits are in place. There is no timeline as to when this will happen.

The fridge will be available to people when the community center is open. It is currently open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. It is closed on Saturday and Sunday.