Building Fire Alarms Went Off Unnecessarily

The Fire Department issued a violation notice to landlord for failing to properly maintain the building's fire alarm system due to too many false alarms. Landlord claimed that one time previously an alarm went off due to a tenant with a faulty smoke detector who was burning incense. This time, a tenant pulled the fire alarm accidentally while moving into the building. Landlord then purchased a "stopper," or alarm cover to prevent future incidents. The ALJ ruled against landlord and fined it $935. Landlord appealed and lost. Landlord claimed that it shouldn't be fined because it promptly corrected the violations each time. Correction of the violation after it occurred isn't a defense. The two unnecessary alarms occurred within six months of each other.

Lee & Lin's Development Corp.: ECB App. No. 1301085 (12/19/12) [3-pg. doc.]