Issue date: 2/15/07 Section: Campus News

Media Credit: Patti Gunderson Alert systems did not function Feb. 8 to warn residents of a fire that broke out at the Half Moon Lake Apartments, 716 W. Grand Ave. No one was injured in the fire.

At 3:05 p.m. Feb 8 firefighters were called to the Half Moon Lake apartment complex. A fire had started in the wall of the building. While no one was hurt, fire inspector Janet Harter said, the fire could have been life-threatening. The reason; when maintenance manager Robert Melgaard pulled the alarm to warn tenants, nothing happened.

Harter, who investigated the fire, said that Melgaard acted quickly, knocking on doors to warn residents and even trying to extinguish the fire himself.

Harter said apartment manager, Sharlyn Fellenz, wasn't aware the system was down.

When it comes to fire safety, Harter said that the responsibility lies with both the owner and the tenant.

"It is the owner's responsibility to maintain them but the responsibility of the tenant to not disarm them," she said of smoke detectors.

In a house with five or more unrelated residences, she said, smoke detectors need to be interconnected, that is if one goes off they all go off. They must also be hard-wired meaning that they are not operated solely by batteries.

"Rooming houses and apartments are inspected once a year by crews," Harter said. In addition to checking the smoke detectors, she said they check the fire extinguishers and exits, to make sure both are maintained.

Harter said some of the biggest fire problems in student housing arise when candles or alcohol are involved.

"We had a rash of where people would fall asleep with candles burning," she said.

Property owner Bill Jacobs, with Apex Rentals, echoed Harter concerns over candles and said that he even has a condition in his leases prohibiting the burning of candles in the rental units.

"It's difficult to enforce," he said, "but we want them be aware that it presents a potential hazard."

Jacobs knows first hand how this potential hazard can play out.

"We had one house that almost burned down because a student fell asleep with a candle burning."

Continued...

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