WICU12

Safety violations are still being found at the Granada complex in Millcreek ten days after a  fire destroyed 25 apartments.  Millcreek Township officials completed an inspection of the entire complex over the weekend.

Many residents came forward after the March 28 fire and told of safety violations throughout the complex. This prompted the officials to conduct the inspection. The inspection concluded Sunday and the residents' complaints were justified.

"We found smoke detectors have been tampered with.  Smoke detectors have been missing.  Smoke detectors that  batteries have been taken out of them.   Fire extinguishers have been expired and have not been inspected in 4 to 5 years.  Just numerous electrical code violations that we found," said Millcreek Fire Inspector Bob Vitron.

The smoke detectors and fire extinguishers have been replaced or repaired. The complex still has to have fire exit signs in place and emergency lighting installed.  Vitron says although some residents of the complex are guilty of tampering with, or destroying alarms, it is the responsibility of the apartment managers to make sure the equipment is functioning.

"God forbid, if someone dies in a fire up there and this happens again, and we find there's not a working smoke detector, and that costs someone their life, there's going to be a lot of trouble over that,"  Vitron said.

No fines have been levied as of yet, but that could change if the violations continue.

"We definitely got their attention," said Vitron. "We told them in no uncertain terms that these violations will be corrected or there will be consequences to pay, and the consequences will be fines.  Because a fire like this cannot happen again up there.  We're very fortunate no one lost their life.'

Fire inspectors were so concerned over the safety of the residents, that they ordered the Granada management to hire off duty firefighters to patrol the complex 24 hours a day, for three days, until the inspections were complete.

  

John Last