PROVIDENCE - - Investigators were still sifting through the rubble of a
February nightclub fire that would claim 100 lives when state leaders
began promising more stringent fire safety laws.
This afternoon, the Senate delivered unanimous support for a host of
changes affecting mostly commercial and government buildings. They
include requiring sprinklers in more businesses and banning pyrotechnics
in all but the largest venues.
The House has already approved the
new fire safety measures, which lawmakers say are among the most
stringent in the nation. Gov. Carcieri is expected to sign the bill into
law, possibly this week.
"We must ensure this will not happen again," said bill sponsor Sen. John
Celona, D-North Providence.
Sprinklers would be required by July 2006 in nightclubs that serve
alcohol and have occupancies of at least 150 people.
Other places of assembly with occupancies of 300 or more would also be
required to install sprinklers by July 2005.
The building that housed The Station nightclub, in West Warwick, dates
to the 1940s and had no sprinklers. Investigators believe a band's
pyrotechnics sparked the fast-moving blaze, which also injured nearly
200 people.
Under the bill, older commercial structures and buildings with four or
more apartments would no longer be exempt from fire safety standards
applied to new construction.
Most of the recommendations come from a 17-member state commission
formed to investigate the blaze and consider changes to state fire and
building codes.
The hearings included testimony from government and fire officials and
experts in crowd control, insurance and pyrotechnics use. Relatives and
friends of the fire victims and survivors also gave emotional testimony
about the need for more stringent fire safety laws.
Relatives of some of the victims sat in the Senate chamber on Tuesday to
witness the vote and hear lawmakers pay tribute to the dead.
"This legislation cannot bring these people back but what we can do is
send a message ... that those in state government are letting those
families know their loved ones' lives were not lost in vain," Celona
said.
Businesses have complained they won't have time to meet some of the new
requirements.
The bill would also require:
- Local fire marshals be given more authority to enforce state codes.
- Exit signs be placed at floor level for all places with occupancies of
150 or more by Feb. 20, 2006.
- A crowd manager for every occupancy of 300 or more during special
"amusement" events.
- Fire alarms be municipally connected in all nightclubs with
occupancies of at least 150.
- Smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors in three-family apartment
buildings.
