Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 030379
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 44 Central Street, Central Falls, RI
APPLICANT: Mr. Eugene R. Pytka 333 Minerva Avenue Cumberland, RI 02864
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Assembly
DATE OF DECISION: 2006-05-25
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing by a subcommittee of the Board on March 8, 2006 at 9:00 A.M.  At that time, Acting Chairman Burlingame and Commissioners Filippi and Blackburn were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Michael Andrews of the Central Falls Fire Marshals Office.  The subcommittee recommendations were reviewed by the full Board on March 14, 2006 and approved pursuant to a motion made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Newbrook with Vice Chairman Coutu abstaining from consideration of the vote.  Accordingly, the subcommittee recommendation now has the status of a full Board decision.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of an October 15, 2004 inspection report compiled by the Central Falls Fire Marshals Office. The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Central Falls Fire Marshals Office during the March 8, 2006 subcommittee hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the October 15, 2004 inspection report as its initial findings of fact.  Any modification of the Boards findings, such as correction of a deficiency by the Applicant, shall be noted herein. 
	Any deficiency understood by the Board to have been corrected, which is not so corrected, shall be immediately corrected by the Applicant.  The term approved, as used herein, is understood to mean in accordance with the specific provisions related to the particular subject as are contained in this Code, or as approved in particular by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (State Fire Marshal, his or her designated Deputy State Fire Marshals and/or Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals).

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS
	1.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 13.5.1 and its referenced standards in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the unenclosed boiler room of this facility with an approved domestically supplied sprinkler head, installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Central Falls Fire Marshal's office.  
	2.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 13.2.4 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing egress routes of this facility conditioned upon the installation of an approved Class A finish on the rear hallway of this facility.  The above finish shall be installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Central Falls Fire Marshal's office within thirty (30) days of the date of this decision.
	2(b).  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 13.2.4 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing exits from the second floor of this facility provided that the second floor shall not be occupied or open to the public but utilized only for limited storage, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Central Falls Fire Marshal's office.
	3.  The Board hereby directs the Applicant to correct deficiency 3 as follows.  The Board hereby directs the Applicant to provide the rear hallway and stairways with an approved Class A finish, installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Central Falls Fire Marshal's office within thirty (30) days of the date of this decision.  The Board further directs the Applicant to remove the storage from the cited closet and seal it shut within thirty (30) days of the date of this decision.  The Board hereby directs the Applicant to eliminate occupancy of the second floor of this facility, thereby eliminating the egress issues.  
	4-9.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Central Falls Fire Marshal's office.  The Board notes that the Central Falls Fire Marshal's office has the authority to extend the above time variances in light of good faith attempts by the Applicant to comply.

STATUS OF DECISION AND APPEAL RIGHTS
	This Decision represents a comprehensive, integrated plan of fire safety for the above-captioned facility under the above-cited use or occupancy.  Accordingly, every variance granted is conditioned upon the Applicants timely and continued compliance with all of the directives of the Board. Every variance granted is further conditioned upon the continued use or occupancy of this facility under the above-cited classification reviewed by the Board.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-17).
	Failure of the Applicant to initially comply with the full Decision of the Board, within the stated time frame, shall void all variances granted herein.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-18.)  In the event of complete, timely and continued compliance with the full Decision of the Board, the above cited variances shall be deemed to have vested in the above-captioned facility.  As long as this facility is in continued compliance with the full Decision of the Board, the above-cited variances shall remain with this facility in the absence of any change in use or occupancy mandating review under a separate classification of the Fire Code or a revision of the above-cited classification. . (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-19).  
Such changes in use or occupancy of this facility, or failure to continually comply with the Boards Decision shall void all variances granted under the above-cited use or occupancy.  If such change creates a new use or occupancy as outlined in R.I.G.L. 23-28.1-6, all variances granted under the original use or occupancy are void and this facility shall be reviewed under the newly created use or occupancy. . (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-20).
	The Applicant may appeal the Boards Decision, within thirty (30) days of the mailing date of this Decision, by commencing an action against the State Fire Marshal in the Sixth division of the District Court.  Commencement of such an action does not operate as an automatic stay of this Decision [R.I.G.L. 42-35-15(c)].
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