Exclusive OnTV photos by Alan Freed		 Fanning The Flames of Safety Code Screw-up

In the aftermath of the old Horne's building's blazing rooftop inferno on July 9th (the crowd-gathering spectacle lasting for nearly an hour and forty-five minutes), Oxford Development Co. and P.J. Dick Inc. now face fines due to safety violations.
View the site of the old Horne's building fire:

Cite on Site in Sight

Although no one would be fined for the accidental fire, developers P.J. Dick Inc. and Oxford Development Co. will be cited for safety violations, according to Fire Chief Charles Dickinson.

One of the violations is due to the cause of the fire itself. Workers were using an acetylene torch to cut down a metal sign on the roof. Even though they had put sheet plywood about 20 feet below to catch sparks, a pile of insulation began to smolder. After applying a wet fire blanket, they placed more plywood on the spot. Thinking there was no cause for alarm, they left for lunch. According to Pete Micheli, assistant chief for fire protection, a fire broke out during the 10 minute absence of the workers. Micheli stated that it might have started in insulation that not been blanketed, and that P.J. Dick Inc. would be fined $1,000 for violating the 30-minute post-welding/ cutting fire watch regulation.

The other $100 citation points to the failure to maintain an operable standpipe (the water pipe used only for fighting fires). The standpipe is connected to sprinklers and valves on every floor to which the firefighters can connect their hoses.

The worst damage to the building was to an air conditioning cooling tower, costing about $100,000, which needs to be replaced. Regardless, Oxford Development states that the building's prime tenant, Blue Cross, will probably still be moving on schedule in September.

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