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December 29, 2006

Boston bars skirting fire safety law, report says

BOSTON -- Fewer than half of Boston's bars and nightclubs covered by new fire safety regulations enacted after the fatal Station nightclub fire in West Warwick are complying, according to a published report.

Fire officials say 142 of 229 establishments required to install sprinkler systems are getting around the law or trying to, The Boston Globe reported.

Many clubs have complained about the cost of installing sprinklers, saying it could put smaller establishments out of business. Some have persuaded local and state building agencies to lower their official capacity below 100 people, the law's threshold.

Others are building walls to attempt to qualify as two businesses, each below the 100-person capacity. Bars that serve food are arguing they should be considered as restaurants, which are exempt.

"This is terrible," Boston Fire Commissioner Roderick Fraser told the Globe. "Our goal is to make public areas more safe, not look for loopholes."

-- The Associated Press

Read the full story here.

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 8:08 AM | Permalink

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