The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1935-06-01
Public's Attention
Called To Serious
Condition Locally
Indifference Of Drivers Obstacle to Fire Prevention
Work Department Handicapped at Recent Fire
on Center ST. Authorities Studying Laws


For the past few days. and fol-
lowing several complaints as made,
Fire Marshal Den Lahey and his
aides, have been surveying some Of
the central streets OF the city.
where parking is allowed, and
where both sides Of the highway
are so blocked with automobiles
that would no doubt cause delay to
the fire department in its efforts
to reach various buildings, In case
fire should break out in any OF
these places. Printers Court, now
a public high, State street, Center
street, Spring street, Phoenix ave-
nue., Brown street, Union street,
and Canal street are some of the
streets, the marshal thinks, that
are SO clotted with automobiles
that in case of trouble, fire appa-
ratus would be seriously handt-
capped in reaching some Of the
nearby buildings.
"The duties Of the office Of the
fire marshall" explained the mar
shall to-day, require the office to
Provide for the reasonable safety
of all persons and all property of
the city, Cook of ordinance, page
433), and also to hink out situa-
tions in advance OF any fire that
might possibly break out in any
Of the buildings Of the city. The
fire fighing itself, of course, and
how 1t should be done, once fire
occurs, is matter clearly for the
department chief, and the deputy
chief, and the acting deputy chief.
So that the question of parked au-
tomobiles and their hindrance to
a work of fire prevention primar-
lily might come within the juris-
diction of the office to which we
are attached.
Penalties Prescribed
"Now on page 1856 of the Book
of Ordinances, Is a city bylaw, in
which inspections are called for,
and in which distractions to or
on fire escapes, stairs, passage
ways, doors or windows, liable to
interfere with the operations of
the fire department or egress of
persons, in case Of fire, shall be
ordered removed, and in case of
violation of this particular code,
the penalty provided is from $25
to one hundred dollars.
There is no question in our be-
lief that this office has proper
Jurisdiction, even on private prop
erty, where exits are blocked by
parked automobiles. But there is
doubt in our minds as to the pow
er Of the office in relation to
parked automobiles on the public
highway. We say this in order
to convey such information to the
various peoplew no have filed COM
plants in this office to the effect
various streets constitutes a. fire
hazard, even though the words"
public thoroughfare" are used in
he ordinance quoted.
you see the traffic conditions
of ecah municipality are regulated
by police authority under a state
statute and such being the case
the regulation of parked automo-
bilee in the public highway is n
matter for that particular body, as
legal authority has very properly
pointed out to u.s.
Parked Car Menace
.'If you were to ask IL such au-
thority over parked automobiles in
the public highway, where we
think they actually do interfere
with the Operations Of the fire de-
partment' as the code reads, should
be vested in the office, under such
conditions, our answer might be
yes
There is no question but what
parked cars on Center street re-
Gently interfered with the firemen
in their. efforts to check a fire in
one Of the apartment houses on
that thoroughfare. But fortu-
nately, the firemen made such a
good stop that the damage sus-
tanned was far less than that
actually figured by the people who