Landlord Fined for Repeated False Alarms

The Fire Department issued a violation notice to landlord for failing to maintain a required fire protection system. This was a repeat violation. Fire alarms had gone off unnecessarily in the building twice in one month. Landlord explained that the building was a homeless shelter, that the resident who pulled the alarm on July 10 had been removed for medical evaluation, and that the July 30 alarm was set off by a steam condition near a fourth-floor restroom. The ALJ ruled against landlord and fined it $2,375, finding that it had failed to take any corrective measures since a prior violation was imposed for the same conditions. Landlord appealed and lost. Landlord claimed that it had taken corrective measures. Landlord didn't show what if any steps were taken to prevent individuals from pulling the fire alarms. And the facility manager had stated that the July 30 incident occurred after steam built up in the nearby shower for 30 minutes.

2402 Atlantic Holdings LLC: ECB App. No. 1300109 (627/13) [3-pg. doc.]