607 47TH ST SE 2016-01-01 MF Import

i � 9067m Page 2 9ased on our investigation and inspzction, the follo�ving conditions were found: 1. The occupants of Apartment 11304, adjacent to the fire apartment, lk303, were not notified of the fire condition until well into the fire. Upon arrival of the firefighting crews, these occupants again had to be , alerted to the fire condition and had difFiculty �::<it:ing their unit because of the excessive smoke issuing from the fi.a -nto the only stairway exit available. R further investigation into the smoke dete;tors in Apartments 1�303 and it304 indicated neither had batteries in�tatled at the time of the fire. 2. A review of the existing building exiting as required in the current fire code regulations led to a further investigation int.o the building codes in effect at the time the structures were built. The third floor apartments throughout the complex do not meet standard exiting requirements as set forth in the 1988 Edition of the ;Jniform �ire and Building Codes. Looking at this problem in light of the building code in effect at the time of construction, these struccures did rneet the current interpretation o` the buiiding code in effect at that time. Nevertheless, exiting from the third floors ef the complex's buildings poses a very serious life hazard for occupants exiting this level during an emergency. 3. The structures, as built of Type V, 1-hour construction, have a minimum required fire flow of 2500 yailons per minute. This fire flow is additionally required to be distributed Lhrough a minimum of three hydr.ants to be located within 200 feet of the buildings. During our inspection the hydrant located at 47th Street & Black Forest Lane was found to be the only hydrant which meets this distance requirement. Although there is no flow test available from this hydrant, the hydrant at 47th Street & Fowler Avenue, two blocks east, indicates a flow of less than 1200 gallons per minute available through this main. This is substantially less than the required amount in the Uniform Fir� Code. 4. R review of fire department files of this complex indicates a fire alarm system was required to be installed in January of 1977. Plans were submitted for approvai. However, it appears this system was never installed. T�e build�ng is very weli maintained; without a close exzmination of some basic life and fire`ighting requirements of the Uniform �odes, it would be very easy to iaiss the aforementioned problems. Nevertheless, these buildings represent some very real life safety potential. A fire in onz of the lo++er units or an ad,jacent apartment on the third floor could very well preclude the safe egress of persons from the third floor. I urge you to seriously consider the installation of an automatic fire suppression system throughout your complex to a�ate the majority of these problems. I