Lawmakers to look into fire inspections

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The lawmakers vowed to improve fire safety, even as legislative proposals to do just that stalled in committees.

The Greenville News reported Sunday that fire inspections of hotels and businesses vary from once every three months to once every two years, depending on the community and a fire marshal's manpower situation.

Local fire marshals say enforcement of the fire code also varies, with some communities having no authority while others can take violators to court. Several said they would like lawmakers to create a uniform ticket system much like police use.

Sen. Ralph Anderson, a Greenville Democrat, said he supports more uniformity in inspections and enforcement.

"We're talking about life here," he said.

State Sen. Verne Smith of Greer, chairman of the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, which handles fire issues, said he wants to look into the fire marshals' concerns.

"We certainly don't have proper control over that statewide, I tell you that," Smith said. "That's something else we've got to work on. That's on my list."

House Speaker David Wilkins of Greenville said any funding concerns for fire marshals have to be addressed locally. But he said lawmakers will respond if fire officials ask the Legislature for help in more uniform enforcement authority.

"I think you'd find the General Assembly very willing, if there's a real need, to give fire marshals more law enforcement tools as far as ticketing and more uniformity," he said. "Obviously, they have to come make that case but I would certainly support that."

Rep. Harry Cato, a Travelers Rest Republican who chairs the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, said he hadn't known there was a problem with fire inspections before Sunday "but obviously there is."

"I think it's something we'll be taking a look at to see how we can improve that," he said. "I don't want to point the finger at a lack of funding.

"Was there a good system in place? Was funding the only problem or did we not have an adequate system? I do think it's something we really need to look at."

Sen. Daniel Verdin, a Laurens Republican and member of Smith's committee, said he planned to talk to all fire inspectors, codes enforcers and fire marshals in his district.

"If it's a matter they think they can deal with on the local level, fine," he said. "If they come to us and request our assistance in the matter in uniformity statewide, I would be willing to consider it."

Verdin said the LCI committee is obligated to take a serious examination of the state's fire safety system following the fires earlier this year that destroyed a Clemson apartment complex and killed six at a Greenville hotel.

The hotel fire, which also injured 12, has been ruled arson. The four-story hotel wasn't equipped with sprinklers and not required to because it was built before 2000.

Smith has introduced a proposal to require sprinklers in all hotels by July 2007.

A compromise that would only require them in hotels taller than three stories stalled last month following objections by Charleston lawmakers that the measure wouldn't work with that city's historic buildings. Senators are still looking at the issue.

"I think it's incumbent on us to do everything we can to have the safest communities possible," Verdin said.

Sen. David Thomas, a Fountain Inn Republican, said he supports uniform enforcement and inspections. Thomas chaired a Senate panel earlier this year looking at fire safety improvements.

But he said he has been surprised at the resistance to any fire safety suggestions, including his bill to require hotels to notify customers if they don't have sprinkler systems. The bill has stalled, he said.

"It's especially sad that they can't live with that," he said. Thomas said he may place the bill onto another related bill to get it moving.

"I'm very concerned with public safety," he said, "and if I can't move the bill one way I might have to use this concept to get it on the floor and get a straight-up vote, rather than have it bottled up in committee."

Clemson's fire marshal said after the fire that the town had stopped apartment inspections the year before due to manpower concerns. He said that the fire, started by a candle, likely couldn't have been averted by an inspection.

Fire marshals statewide say they don't inspect apartment units.