The Emporia apartment fire on Oct. 20 that killed ESU international students Yawei Fan and Zheng Lin has started a fire safety discussion across the state.
On Nov. 2, the Kansas Board of Regents requested information on how state universities advise students about fire safety in off-campus housing.
The incident serves as an important reminder that landlords need to follow local and state fire laws or they can be held responsible. Unfortunately, finding out what laws landlords need to follow can be challenging since there is not a single resource from the city outlining a landlord’s responsibilities.
In the area of fire prevention the City of Emporia has adopted the international fire code, and that states that every apartment in Emporia must have working smoke detectors on every level and operating fire extinguishers.
According to city attorney Blaise Plummer this law was passed by the Kansas legislature in 1989. However, there is no enforcement tool. The city does inspect apartment buildings of four units or more. But that still leaves gaps in apartment inspections that are smaller.
The Emporia Fire department is very active in public education and home fire safety. Year-round they offer educational opportunities and residents or landlords can call with questions. This week, Emporia TV on channel 70, there will be a half-hour interview with Fire Marshall Tom Andrews talking about fire prevention. The show will air daily at channel 70 at noon and 6 p.m. or online at www.etv70.com.
The loss of life is tragic and serves as an important reminder for landlords and home owners to check and make sure their smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are operational.
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
So there is some information in this article, and some is missing.
Were there working smoke detectors in this duplex?
November 9, 2011 at 3:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tourguide (anonymous) says...
How about a NEW CITY ORDINANCE . Every time a rental, be it house or apt. vacates it MUST have an inspection for fire code and health code violations, BEFORE a lease may be signed. ALL residence must be equip ed with smoke & CM detectors. Landlord has 14 days to correct the violation or be fined. This works in other cities in the U S. Yes this may cost $ a few $ , and 1/2 hr. of fire dept. inspection time ,, BUT how much is a life worth ???
November 9, 2011 at 3:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tourguide (anonymous) says...
OMG phone calls already. OK I know the city budget is MAXED OUT. So find a retired person that can be trained by the Fire Dept. Make this a contract / part time job. Salary comes from inspection fee, and no employee benefits from the city. A walk thru should not take 30-45min.s Charge $25.00 to the landlord. A new tenant should be given a copy when they sign the new lease. Inspector makes $25.00 for an hours work. NO COST to the city. Maybe save a LIFE.
November 9, 2011 at 4:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Excellent suggestion, tourguide. I'd like to see that happen. Good question, Steve.
I've had tenants walk off with fire detectors and all the light bulbs, but I just purchase more. I've decided to start charging a deposit for fire detectors.
November 9, 2011 at 4:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
romano1784 (anonymous) says...
This is just a measure to tide people over until they forget it happened. We lived in a quadplex on mechanic street that was upstairs, had only one way in or out, no heater or ac, only a window unit that worked for a half hour at a time. The stairwell was the old metal scaffolding that was horrible when the freezing rain started. It was infested with bugs, no smoke detectors, wasn't winterized. We took a trip to Omaha to visit family and came back to water filling the street from busted pipes. The water heater in the basement was actually floating around. The Emporia fire department took the meters and condemned the house. When we reported it before to the city and gave the landlords name it was obvious that this landlord had been reported many many times, and yet nothing had been done. So I stand by the opinion that nothing will be done about this, or any other slumlord in Emporia. People will continue to get inadequate housing, people will continue to get hurt, and slumlords will continue to reap the benefit. This article is joke when you know this will continue on and on until more people are killed.
November 9, 2011 at 4:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
romano1784 (anonymous) says...
Oh and that residence is back up and running, and no nothing has been changed about the living conditions there.
November 9, 2011 at 4:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
railroadhorn (anonymous) says...
I've wondered all along why the media hasn't stated whether there were working smoking detectors and why the Fire Department hasn't said either. So I'm guessing they don't know or can't say without slandering the landlord - who apparently hasn't been identified either. What happened to reporting the whole story? Didn't someone at the Gazette or KVOE try and track down this landlord? Are there lawsuits in the wings? I drove by ESU when the family was taking photos of the big sign on 12th street - I felt so sorry for them. You know you can only have 1 child in China so their kids' death is in the end of the generation, maybe even the family line. I hope more information will come out about this incident. Maybe the Regents will investigate? They should.
November 9, 2011 at 11:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
railroadhorn (anonymous) says...
that should read the big Emporia State sign facing 12th street...
November 9, 2011 at 11:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
railroadhorn (anonymous) says...
Here is the owner's name according to Lyon County appraisal records.....
Wang, Sulan
3507 W 22nd Ave
Emporia, KS 66801-6620
November 9, 2011 at 11:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hometownkid (anonymous) says...
I have told tenants before that if the battery starts going bad on an alarm the alarm will start to chirp. I tell them if this happens let me know and I will come and replace the battery. Then when they move out. (After stealing the light bulbs and fire extinguishers I check the smoke alarms only to find the batteries missing.
And yes when I am inside during the year I check the smoke alarms.
How about people start being responsible for there own actions once in awhile.
And I feel for the families of the victims that died.
November 10, 2011 at 6:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tourguide (anonymous) says...
Hometownkid, You are right . You are not leasing to children. You can only do so much to keep them safe. If your rental is safe, up to code, & clean then you did your part. Unfortunate you have thieves for renters. Maybe they had to replace a bulb and think they will take it. NO excuse. Next time check all the lights, then charge an extra $1. ea.bulb deposit, include replacement cost of an extinguisher. Teach them a lesson. Some are here to learn. But be fair and return their deposit when all is left behind. As I said before ,My heart goes out to the Families of the lost young ones..
November 10, 2011 at 7:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
railroadhorn (anonymous) says...
Come on people - floor furnaces - really? They were popular in what the 1960s?! We had one and my toddler sis burned her hand bad in 1966 - for goodness's sake - we're not talking about whether your tenants stole your $10 fire extinguisher and your $2 light bulb. We're talking about bringing foreign students to our town and whose responsibility is it to tell them they maybe shouldn't rent an apt with a floor furnace? These are dangerous outdated furnaces and morally should landlords take money from tenants and never make infrastructure improvements while their mortgages are being paid off?
November 10, 2011 at 1:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
They are still sold and being used though.
http://www.totalhomesupply.com/Produc...
November 10, 2011 at 1:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
solong (anonymous) says...
OCCUPY COMMERCIAL!!! That won't work either, nobody left here. How about bringing in some cattle and hauling all their waste to the RDA office, there's plenty of the same out there.
November 10, 2011 at 3:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hometownkid (anonymous) says...
Your right horn. It's not about the $50 the tenants stole from me. It's about how much money do I invest every year in my rentals and I still can't prevent every disaster from happening, no matter how hard people try. Fact is Bad things happen to good people.
Also if anyone would like to be a landlord and improve the standard of living in Emporia. Please contact a realtor, and purchase some property. I have a list of Banks also that would love to lend money in today's market. They are local so everyone can shop Emporia first !!
Remember to thank a veteran tomorrow !! If you can speak English, Thank a veteran and a teacher !!
November 10, 2011 at 8:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Malique (anonymous) says...
hometownkid,
What if English isn't the veteran's first language? Do I still have to thank him in English?
November 15, 2011 at 2:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slimbolen99 (anonymous) says...
Demolish all the rentals in town that are not maintained and you'll solve a lot of problems.
November 15, 2011 at 2:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )