Chapter 62 Firesafety

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Chapter 62 Firesafety Ch 62 Art I Inspections [HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of Centreville as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.] GENERAL REFERENCES Authority to issue regulations concerning fire hazards — See Charter Section 301(b)(23). Building construction — See Ch. 28. Dangerous buildings — See Ch. 31. Open burning — See Ch. 35. Ch 62 Art I Inspections 62-1 Right Of Entry On Commercial Premises By Fire Chief 62-2 Right Of Entry By Authorized Fire Company Members 62-3 Report Of Hazardous Conditions 62-4 Notice To Owner Or Occupier Of Premises 62-5 Order To Correct Or Remove 62-6 Grievance Hearing For Revocation Of Order 62-7 Correction Of Condition By Town; Recovery Of Costs 62-8 Nonapplicability 62-9 Vehicle Operation Near Fire Apparatus 62-10 Violations And Penalties [Adopted 11-21-1963 by Ord. No. 701] 62-1 Right Of Entry On Commercial Premises By Fire Chief The Chief of the Goodwill Fire Company, Inc., Centreville, Maryland, be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to, at any and all reasonable times, enter upon and into any and all public buildings, stores, warehouses, factories, or any other structures or premises used for commercial purposes within the limits of the Town of Centreville, for the purpose of examining and inspecting the same, to ascertain the conditions thereon or therein with regards to the presence or arrangement of, deposits of, of any article, materials, substances, goods, wares, merchandise or any other thing or things, which may, in his opinion tend to create danger of or from fire, or unnecessarily and unreasonably interfere with the work of the Goodwill Fire Company in the event of fire on or in said premises, buildings or structures, or the loss of life of the occupants or other persons on or in said premises, buildings, or structures in the event of fire; also with regard to the condition, size, arrangement and efficiency of any and all appliances for fire prevention or for protection against fire on or in such premises, buildings or structures. 62-2 Right Of Entry By Authorized Fire Company Members The Chief of the Goodwill Fire Company, be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to direct such and as many members of the Goodwill Fire Company as may, in his judgment, be necessary to make the inspection hereinbefore provided for; who shall report in writing, the results of their inspections so made to the Goodwill Fire Company, Inc. and for the purpose of making which inspections such members of the Goodwill Fire Company, Inc., as may be so directed and designated, are hereby authorized and clothed with the same power to enter upon and into and inspect any premises, buildings or structures within the limits of the Town of Centreville as is hereby given to the said Chief by § 62-1 of this article. 62-3 Report Of Hazardous Conditions If, as a result of the inspection or inspections by this article authorized, the Chief of the Goodwill Fire Company, Inc., shall be of the opinion that on or in any public buildings, stores, warehouses, or any other structures or premises used for commercial purposes within the limits of the Town of Centreville any rubbish, debris, waste, inflammable or combustible material found thereupon or therein is not so deposited or arranged as to afford a reasonable safeguard against the danger of fire or from fire; or that the articles, materials, goods, wares and merchandise found in or on said premises, buildings or structures are so deposited or arranged that the occupants thereof or persons on or in the same would not, because of such disposition and arrangement, be afforded reasonable access to the exits from said premises, buildings or structures in case of fires; or that by reason of such disposition or arrangement the members of the Goodwill Fire Company, Inc., would be unnecessarily and unreasonably interfered with or obstructed in the exercise of their duties in and about such premises, buildings or structures in the event of fire on or in the same, then it shall be his duty, and he is hereby directed, to immediately make a detailed report, in writing, of such conditions so found to the Town Commissioners of Centreville. 62-4 Notice To Owner Or Occupier Of Premises It shall be the duty of the Commissioners, if in the judgment of said Board such condition is found to exist, to immediately give notice, in writing, to the owner or owners, occupier or occupiers of such premises, buildings or structures whereon or wherein such condition has been found to exist, warning such interested person or persons of the existence of each condition so found, and giving an apt description of the same. 62-5 Order To Correct Or Remove The Commissioners of Centreville may also order, in writing, that such conditions be avoided, corrected or removed within the time and in the manner prescribed in said notice. 62-6 Grievance Hearing For Revocation Of Order If such owner or owners, occupier or occupiers, his, her or their agent or agents consider themselves aggrieved by such order, he, she, or they, or if a body corporate, it may, within three days after the receipt of said notice, appeal to the said Town Commissioners of Centreville, in writing, for the revocation of said order, whereupon said Board shall grant a hearing, which hearing shall be had upon said application within seven days. 62-7 Correction Of Condition By Town; Recovery Of Costs If said order is not revoked by the Town Commissioners of Centreville and the owner or owners, occupier or occupiers, his, her or their agent or agents shall neglect or refuse to comply with the terms of said order, Town Commissioners of Centreville are hereby directed and empowered to remove or correct the dangerous condition mentioned in said notice, at the expense of said owner or owners, occupier or occupiers, and the cost of removing or correcting said condition may be recovered by the Town Commissioners of Centreville from said owner or owners, occupier or occupiers by suit if necessary. 62-8 Nonapplicability Nothing in this article contained shall apply to or in any manner affect any private dwelling, curtilage, building or outbuilding thereof attached or used in connection therewith nor any farm property or any building thereon in the Town of Centreville. 62-9 Vehicle Operation Near Fire Apparatus It shall be unlawful for any person in the operation of any vehicles, car, automobile or truck to obstruct any fire engine in the Town of Centreville proceeding to a fire. All such vehicles, cars, automobiles and trucks shall immediately upon being warned (flashing red lights and sounding siren) of the approach of such fire engine give the same the right-of-way, and shall stop, and shall not move on its way until such fire engine is 200 feet distant from them in the direction said fire engine or apparatus is moving. No vehicles, cars, automobiles or trucks shall park or be permitted to stand within 200 feet of any fire engine or apparatus while such fire engine or apparatus is attending a fire. 62-10 Violations And Penalties The owner or owners, occupier or occupiers who shall obstruct or refuse to permit the free entrance to and the inspection of any premises, buildings, or structure or neglect or refuse to comply with the terms and conditions of the order herein authorized to be issued by the Town Council of Centreville, unless the same shall be revoked, or who shall violate any other provision of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, subject to the penalties provided in § 1-14.B.5.d of the Town Code. HISTORY Amended by Ord. 13-2024 Amended Penalty Sections throughout the Code on 1/2/2025 Adopted by Res. 19-2024 Establishing certain fines to be paid to the Town of Centreville for Municipal Infractions pursuant to the Authority set forth in the Town of Centreville Charter and Code of the Town of Centreville on 1/2/2025