More than 150 people were displaced when this 430 room hotel was destroyed by fire. The cause of this fire is still under investigation. However, several news reports have found that this hotel had several long outstanding fire prevention code violations.
The violations include:
- No fire extinguishers and/or extinguishers that were out of service
- Fire hydrants that were blocked and covered by shrubbery and debris
- Exit and emergency lights that were not operational in hallways
- Fire sprinkler system deficiencies, including a sprinkler system that was not monitored
Add to these violations, the fact that this building was constructed in the early 1980's. Considerable code changes have been adopted since that time that would have prevented the total loss of this structure; code changes in the construction of these facilities that would have included smoke dampers, fire stops, and fire walls.
This is why fire prevention matters, to address these violations and enforce the correction of deficiencies. And to ensure that new facilities meet current code requirements during construction.
