Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-04-23

company, association or individual from
complying with the provisions of chap
ter forty-six of the General Laws. re-
lating to the taxation of corporations,
or from the provisions of chapter two
hundred and forty of the General Laws,
relating to the publicity of partnerships
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect
from its passage
Approved April 2, 1910.
NO. 147
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE
OFFICE OF STATE FIRE MAR
SHAL, DEFINING IT'S POWERS
AND DUTIES AND TO PRO-
VIDE FOR THE MAINTENANCE
THEREOF.
1t is hereby enacted by the General
Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Section I. The office of state fire
marshal is hereby established
Sec. .. The insurance commissioner
snail be ex-officio state fire marshal,
and he is hereby authorized to appoint
a deputy fire marshal whose duties shall
be to assist him as state fire marshal,
and in case of the absence or inability
Of that officer, to perform the duties
of the Office.
Sec. 3. The fire marshal or the
deputy FIRE marshal the chief of the fire
department in every city or incor-
porated village in which paid fire de-
partment is established, the president,
or the chairman of the board of trustees
in case there is no president, of incor-
porated villages and the first selectmen
of towns are authorized to investigate
the cause, origin and circumstances of
every fire occurring in any such city,
village or town in which property has
been destroyed or damaged, when the
damage exceeds fifty dollars, except that
all fires Of unknown origin shall be re-
ported and they shall make special in
vestigation as to whether any fire was
the result of carclessness, accident or
design.
Sec. 4. Such investigation shall be
begun within five days after the occur
renee of such fire or as soon thereafter
as it appears that there is cause there
for, and the fire marshal or the deputy
fire marshal shall have the right to
supervise and direct such investigation
whenever he deems it necessary or ex-
pedient
Sec. S. The officer making an investi-
CATION of a fire, as provided in the pre-
ceding sections, shall forthwith notify
the fire marshal and shall within one
week after the occurrence of the FIRE,
furnish to him written statement of
all facts relating to the cause and
origin Of the fire and shall give him
such other information as may be called
for on blanks furnished by the fire
marshal. Whenever it may seem to be
for the public good, the insurance COM
missioner shall personally visit and in
vestigate any fire in accordance with
the provisions of this act, and he shall
be repaid all expenses incident thereto
out of the funds provided for in this
act.
Sec. s. The state fire marshal shall
keep in his Office a record Of all fires
occurring in this state and of all the
facts concerning the same, including
statistics as to the extent of such fires
and the damage caused thereby, and
whether such losses were covered by
insurance and, If so, in what amount.
Such record shall be made daily from
the reports made to him under the pro-
visions of this act All such records
shall be public, except testimony taken
in an investigation under the provi-
sions of this act which the state fire
marshal in his discretion may withhold
from the public.
Sec. ?. The state IRE marshal shall
when in his opinion, further investiga-
ton is necessary, take or cause to be
taken, the testimony under oath of all
persons supposed to have knowledge OF
any facts, or to have means of knowl-
edge relating to any fire or matter re-
:.l e
required to be made, and shall cause the
state FIRE marshal or deputy fire mar
is of the opinion that there is prob
of the crime of arson, or of an attempt
conspiracy to defraud, or of any GRIM
fires, he shall furnish to the states
attorney a copy of all such testimony
together with the names and residences
of witnesses and ali necessary informa-
ton obtained by him, and such states
attorney shall take such action as the
facts justify, and diligently inquire into
all circumstances attending the fire
The fire marshal may assist in the prose
cution either in person or by the deputy
fire marshal
Sec. 8. A states attorney upon re-
quest of the state fire marshal or the
deputy FIRE marshal, shall assist sucf
officers in an investigation of a fire
which in their opinion is of suspicious
origin.
Sec. 9. The fire marshal and the
deputy FIRE marshal. or either of them
shall have the power throughout the
state to summon and compel the
attendance of witnesses before them, OF
either of them, to testify relative to an.
matter which is by the provisions of thi
act a subject of inquiry or investigation
and may require the production of an,
book, paper or document deemed peril
nent thereto by them. Such witnesses
shall be subpoenaed in the same man
ner as witnesses in Justices courts
They shall receive the same compensa
ton as Is paid in Justices courts, which
shall be paid out of the FIRE marsha
fund upon vouchers signed by the fir,
marshal or deputy fire marshal befor'
whom any witnesses have attended, AM
such officer shall at the close of tn
investigation wherein such witnesse
were subpoenaed certify to their attend
ance and mileage, which certificate
shall b. filed in the Office of the fire mar
shall. All Investigations held by o
under the direction of the fire marsha
or deputy fire marshal may, IN his dis
erection, be private and persons othe
than those required to be present b.
the provisions of this act may be ex
cluded from the place where such in