fire firegeezer on 29 Apr 2008 08:50 am
Norwich Apartment Roof Was Built Illegally
THE COSMETIC HIP ROOF THAT COVERED THE NORWICH, MASSACHESETTS, apartment buildings that burned down Saturday was erected in violation of both code requirements and specific stop-work orders.
NECN photo
The early-morning fire raced through the cockloft area of the entire complex due to a lack of fire stops and many on the scene, including the fire chief, remarked on the rapidity of the fire spread. More than 100 dwelling units were completely destroyed by the fire. (Firegeezer report HERE.)
Now, while people are wondering how and why such an unsafe roof structure was permitted to be built, some interesting facts are coming out about the building permits that were issued at the time.
The New London Day is reporting:
In July 1984, the building office ordered the then-owners of the apartments at 2 Westledge Drive, Peach Tree Limited Partnership, to halt construction of the pitched roof over the existing flat roof because it was being done without permits.
A handwritten permit issued the following month specifically addressed the fire blocks: “Proper fire stops required every 3,000 square feet,” wrote Henri Lambert, then the building inspector.
But in October of the same year, Assistant Building Inspector Chris Hempsted reported that an inspection showed no firebreaks in the new roof. Hempsted issued a stop-work order, citing the state’s building codes, which required the fire stops.
”These noted fire walls must be installed prior to the completion of construction,” Hempsted wrote in the Oct. 5 violation letter.
After that, mysteriously, there are no records or papers in the city’s files that cover any further actions. Violations were written, stop-work orders were issued, and the roof was completed anyway.
Read the full story in the Day which is a good background article covering the laws that were applicable HERE.
