1/26/2009

The Chattanooga Fire Marshal's office has cited the owners of a local apartment complex to court for failing to properly deal with a string of prank false alarms.  Chattanooga firefighters have responded to 18 of those alarms at Hixson Court Apartments (3825 Hixson Pike) since November 17, 2007.

Fire Marshal Craig Haney says his office has tried to work with the management company and owners of the complex, but failed to get any cooperation.  The owners of the complex, Woodbine Hixson Court, L.P., refused to even identify themselves, so they were cited to Judge Russell Bean's court. 

On Monday, January 5, 2009, Judge Bean found the owners guilty of failing to comply with fire prevention codes and fined $50 plus court costs.  Judge Bean also ordered that the owners must comply with the fire prevention codes by placing protective covers over the fire alarm pull stations.  The owners have until February 9, 2009 to comply.  Judge Bean said that if they do not comply by that date, "...then it is ordered that the apartment complex known as the Hixson Court Apartments shall be ruled as a public nuisance and shut down."  The court order was served on Friday, January 23, 2009.

Chief Haney said the court order was a last resort, but all other attempts to get compliance from the apartment complex have failed.  In addition to the dangers of having six fire trucks rushing to the complex on busy streets, Chief Haney said the numerous alarms were making the residents at the complex complacent and they were no longer evacuating when the fire alarms were activated.

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