§ 20-28. Routine fire prevention investigations; order of violations.

The fire marshal, upon complaint of any person having an interest in any building or property adjacent and without any complaint, shall have a right at all reasonable hours, for the purpose of examination, to enter into and upon all buildings and premises within the city, and it shall be his duty, monthly or more often, to enter upon and make or cause to be entered and made, a thorough examination of all mercantile, manufacturing and public buildings, together with the premises belonging thereto. Whenever he shall find any building or other structure which, for want of repair, or by reason of age or dilapidated condition, or for any cause, is especially liable to fire, and which is so situated as to endanger other buildings or property, or so occupied that fire would endanger persons or property therein, and whenever he shall find an improper or dangerous arrangement of stoves, ranges, furnaces or other heating appliances of any kind whatsoever, including chimneys, flues, and pipes with which the same may be connected, or a dangerous arrangement of lighting devices or systems, or a dangerous or unlawful storage of explosives, compounds, petroleum, gasoline, kerosene, dangerous chemicals, vegetable products, ashes, combustible, inflammable and refuse materials, or other conditions which may be dangerous in character or liable to cause or promote fire or create conditions dangerous to the firefighters or occupants, he shall order the same to be removed or remedied, and such order shall be forthwith complied with by the owner or occupant of the building or premises. However, if the owner or occupant deems himself aggrieved by such order, he may, within five days, appeal to the mayor, who shall investigate the cause of the complaint, and unless by his authority the order is revoked, such order shall remain in force and be forthwith complied with by the owner or occupant. At the end of each month the fire marshal shall report to the state fire marshal all existing hazardous conditions, together with separate report on each fire in the city during the month.

(Code 1994, § 5.108; Ord. No. 3A, § 8, 2-6-1951)