Evening star., 1940-04-04
Fire Hazards
LIST Prepared
By 0e|hn1ann
Bulks at Term Of
Traps; Owners to
Get Final Wurnina

Building Inspector John w. Och
mann announced today he was pre-
pairing list of all properties in the
District which are not in compliance
with fire protection rules, and that
he would send a final warning to
the owners demanding corrective
action.
Col. Oehmann, however, said en-
phatieally that he would not make
up a list Of fire traps" under that
definition, as requested by Repre-
sentative Schultz, Democrat. of In
diana, chairman Of the Police and
Fire Subcommittee of the House
District Committee.
II am not foolish enough to call
100 or more buildings fire traps"
said Col. Oehmann. Il would be
laying myself open to all sorts of
damage actions and I might be
doing an injustice to some owners
or tenants. I am making up a list
OF the owners of buildings which
we have found to be in violation of
building and fire regulations. Some
Of these may be correctly termed
'nre traps but probably not any,
where near all of them
Transfer Of Work Urged.
Meanwhile, Acting Engineer Com
missioner Patrick H. Tansey called
on the District Fire Investigation
Board to consider the advisability
Of transfer of the administration
Of the Districts fire escape laws
from the building inspector to the
Fire Department.
One engineer department oficial
said this appeared a good move
since Col. Oehmann has but two
fire inspectors on his staff who now
are required to act on the reports
OF 20 inspectors in the Fire De-
partment. 1t was argued that there
Is not only some duplication of work
here, but that 1t was impossible for
two men to keep pace with 20.
The Fire Investigation Board,
headed by Capt. John L. Person, an
Assistant Engineer Commissioner,
was to meet again this afternoon to
consider reports on the disastrous
f1re in the apartment building at
2131 o street NV. last Monday.
Lists Ideas Being Considered.
Maj. Tansey today revealed long
list of suggestions which he said the
special investigation group was con-
sidering, which indicated the COM
prehensive scope Of the probe. In
addition to determining the causes
Of the White Court Apartment fire,
the board also was surveying these
other ideas:
To fix responsibility for that dis
aster.
To determine If the building code
was violated.
To determine if the code was
faulty or If inspection was inefficient
or deficient because of lack of an
adequate inspection force.
To determine what changes in the
code could be made to prevent re-
currence of such disaster
To determine what steps the Com
missioners can take without addi-
tiona] legislation to prevent similar
catastrophes in the future.
To determine ways and means Of
speeding up Police Court action in
violations of the Fire Escape Act.
Legislative Needs.
To determine what legislation, If
any, is necessary to prevent recur-
rences Of such fires.
To determine the cost of a survey
to find out how many similar build
ings exist in Washington and where
they are located.
To consider whether licenses
should be required of rooming and
boarding houses under the Districts
License Act, and whether more in
spections, more men and more
money are needed
To consider whether the fire es-
cape law should be strengthened to
make more possible an action to en-
join the use of premises when own
ers refuse to comply with fire-escape
orders. In this connection, Corpora
tion Counsel Elwood H. Seal yester-
day suggested legislation to permit
the padlocking of such buildings.
To determine the practicability
of connecting house fire alarm sys-
TENS in apartments and hotels with
the District fire alarm system.
To consider legislation to require
fire alarm systems in places of pub
| lie assembly in addition to the
aters, where they now are required.
To determine whether legislation
should be sought to require install
lation of automatic sprinkler sys-
TENS in the Easements of apartment
houses, and
To determine whether legislation
Is needed requiring two or more
means of exit for every apartment.
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