Salt Lake City Fire Marshal issues 'Red Tag' order on apartment complex deemed unsafe

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The Salt Lake City Fire Marshal issued a "Red Tag" order on an apartment complex deemed unsafe to occupy on Monday.

According to a press release from Salt Lake City Fire Department, the Fire Marshal issued a "Red Tag" order on the Georgia Apartments, deeming them unsafe for the estimated 30 occupied units as a result of SLCFD repeatedly requesting the property owner to bring the building up to fire code.

Residents of the property have 72 hours to move and will have government assistance to do so, officials said. Households were invited to the nearby Salt Lake County building on State Street to meet with housing officials about a new home. Officials say they will tap a coalition of nonprofits and government entities to locate new places and help with deposits.

Christy Carlson is stressed out, but eager for the change.

"It's not no place for anybody to live really," she said. "It should've been condemned a long time ago."

Carlson said she had a good meeting with the housing department and sees their evacuation as a blessing in disguise.

"The worst is over," she said.

Others weren't so sure. Jesse Massarella didn't come away from the meeting as confident.

"That's not fair," he said of the evacuation. "It's absolutely nothing that we've done, it's what the landlord's done. But we're the ones that are going to get put on the street for it."

The Fire Marshal released these repeated inspections in the press release, including one from Monday morning and Dec. 4, 2018:

1. Fire escapes not certified every five years per International Fire Code (IFC) 1104.16.5 and 1104.16.5.1
2. Egress blocked/restricted by debris to include couches, tires, mattresses and other waste type material IFC 304.1, 304.2 and 315.3.2
3. Wet sprinkler system in unconditioned space (under 40 degrees) due to missing windows, doors and nonfunctional heating system per 2013 NFPA 13 8.16
4. Missing Fire Extinguishers resulting in a greater than 75 feet of travel (Must be in every apartment and areas listed in 906.1 or as listed in 906.3)
5. Missing smoke detectors which must be maintained per 2015 IFC 1103.8
6. Vegetation and trees interfering with access to the FDC, must maintain proper spacing per 2015 IFC 912.4.2
7. Electrical wiring not to code (exposed wiring running from electrical boxes to other electrical item and use of extension cords) per 2015 IFC 605.6, 605.9 and 605.5
8. Insulation and wiring on sprinkler pipes not permitted per 2013 NFPA 13 8.16

Immediate concern for the Fire Marshal was the potential that cold weather has resulted in the freezing of the building's sprinkler pipes. The violations can result in extreme fire danger and potential injury and loss of life to all occupants of the building, necessitating an evacuation, according to the press release.

To limit the impact of the order on the residents of Georgia Apartments, SLCFD with the assistance of the Mayor's Office, Salt Lake City's Division of Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND), Salt Lake City Police and the City Attorney's Office have been working together to develop an evacuation transition plan:

• Seventy-two hours of "Fire Watch" service, allowing the building to stay occupied for three days, consisting of 24-hour safety inspections of the building while it's being evacuated.
• To assist residents with housing needs, a Housing Outreach Center has been established at the Salt Lake County Government Complex, South Building Room 120. The Outreach Center will be open to residents Monday 12:00pm – 5:00pm; Tuesday 9:00am – 12:00pm, 5:00 – 7:00pm; Wednesday 12:00pm – 5:00pm. All occupied units were notified of Outreach Center.
• Service providers at the Outreach Center include: Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County Housing Authority, Utah Community Action, Salt Lake City Police Department’s Community Connection Center, Department of Workforce Services, the Road Home, and the Other Side Academy, which is providing free moving services to residents.
• Individuals interested in helping by providing rent and deposit assistance, should contact Tony Milner at 801-792-7395.

On Friday, the City Attorney's Office sent notice to the property owner of intended re-inspection of the building by the Fire Marshal on Monday. Although unrelated, the City Attorney's Office also outlined multiple enforcement actions related to the apartment complex, including citations by the City's Civil Enforcement for noncompliance with housing and zoning codes, resulting in outstanding fees of $4,200, stated the press release.

Due to the violations and inaction, the press release also stated that the property owner was suspended from the City's "Good Landlord Program" following a Sept. 11, 2018 hearing with the City Office of Business Licensing. The property owner is now deliquent in fees totalling $13,524 with an additional $14,514 due on Feb. 28.

According to the press release, Salt Lake City Police also recorded 647 calls to Georgia Apartments, nearly tripled from 213 in 2017. The calls included drug problems, fights, domestic disturbances, trespassing and a number of criminal activities.