PROVIDENCE -
Fire inspectors in each city and town in Rhode Island are tasked
with checking local buildings, and possibly saving lives.
But just 10 years after The Station nightclub fire that killed 100
people, one state lawmaker says it's time to inspect buildings less and not
more.
State Rep. Joseph Trillo: "Once a business comes up to fire
code, they cannot be required to make structural changes for 10 years."
NBC 10's Katie Davis: "The bill doesn't say that right now."
Trillo: "The bill came in at the last minute. I had to put
that in order to cover the timeframe."
Trillo said many small business owners have been hard hit by
changes to the state fire code that followed The Station fire in 2003. Trillo's
bill says once a business is in compliance, inspectors shouldn't return for 10
years.
"The fire department doesn't support anything. They want it as tough as
they can have it. The problem is that they've hurt a lot of small
businesses," he said.
Firefighters and fire marshals came to a hearing Thursday at the
State House on the proposed legislation to speak out against the bill.
"My office as well as the majority of chiefs in Rhode Island
are in opposition to this bill. We think that the language as presently
written is too wide-reaching," said Rhode Island State Fire Marshal Jack
Chartier.
Local fire departments say they already work with business owners
to make a long-term plan, so not all improvements have to be paid for at once.
But they won't support cutting back on inspections.
"Say for instance that Rhode Island Hospital was completely
in compliance today, and I believe it is. Then we couldn't go back there for 10
years. We don't think that's realistic," Chartier said.
Rhode Island's statewide fire code requires annual inspections of
every school and nightclub, although Trillo's proposed bill is in conflict with
the law.
Trillo said he'll rewrite the legislation to address those
problems.
