(Columbia-AP) Feb. 4, 2004 -- A bill has been introduced in the Senate to require all hotels in South Carolina to have sprinkler systems by July 2007.

The bill by Greer Senator Verne Smith comes after a January 25th hotel fire in Greenville that killed six people and injured a dozen. The hotel was not required to have sprinklers because of its age. Smith says he thinks a sprinkler system would have saved some lives.

New hotels already are required to have sprinklers. Smith says he expects complaints about the costs, but says the safety factor is worth it. Greenville Representative Karl Allen says he likes Smith's bill but says the date might need to be changed.

Tom Sponseller with the Hospitality Association of South Carolina says the rules should apply to all public buildings.

Posted 8:44pm by BrettWitt