Everett Fire investigators continue to look at all of the possibilities surrounding the 3-Alarm Fire Saturday night at a former recycling center next to the Snohomish river.
What the site looked like Tuesday afternoon. Click photo to enlarge.
MyEverettNews.com asked the Everett Fire Marshal’s office the following questions about the rules surrounding when a fire watch has been ordered by the fire department….
Is a fire watch any type of law or ordinance that has to be obeyed?
Are there penalties for violating the fire watch request?
Is there any written documentation that the fire watch request was given and who it was given to?
Is fire safety of the building the responsibility of the tenant or the property owner?
We received the following answers back from Meghan Pembroke, City of Everett Communications Director…
Our firefighters and fire investigators regularly require temporary fire watches in buildings where the sprinkler and/or fire alarm system is not operational. This is typically an interim measure until the system can be repaired or activated. Our personnel typically give the fire watch notice in person, rather than through written notice, because it’s a time sensitive issue. In this case, the building was unoccupied, and the person on fire watch was to patrol the building at regular intervals throughout the day. At this time, we do not expect to issue a violation citation.
Maintaining working fire protection systems is ultimately the responsibility of the property owner. Other fire safety code requirements, such as exit lights and maintaining clear aisle ways, are the responsibility of the tenant or business owner.
I’ve provided the relevant sections of the code below. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
2012 International Fire Code
901.7 Systems out of service.
Where a required fire protection system is out of service, the fire department and the fire code official shall be notified immediately and, where required by the fire code official, the building shall either be evacuated or an approved fire watch shall be provided for all occupants left unprotected by the shutdown until the fire protection system has been returned to service.
Where utilized, fire watches shall be provided with at least one approved means for notification of the fire department and their only duty shall be to perform constant patrols of the protected premises and keep watch for fires.
2012 International Fire Code
907.8.5 Maintenance, inspection and testing.
The building owner shall be responsible to maintain the fire and life safety systems in an operable condition at all times. Service personnel shall meet the qualification requirements of NFPA 72 for maintaining, inspecting and testing such systems. A written record shall be maintained and shall be made available to the fire code official.
The building has now been torn down and the remaining hot spots extinguished. Everett Fire rigs have left the location. The investigation and interviews are expected to still take some time.
June 7, 2016
Everett, Everett Fire