Town of Stanley, VA Chapter 100 Fire Prevention

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Stanley as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Fire Department — See Ch. 32.

Brush, grass and weeds — See Ch. 81.

Building construction — See Ch. 87.

Fireworks — See Ch. 105.

Article I Adoption of State Standards

[Adopted 10-10-1973 as Ch. 6, Art. III, of the 1973 Code]

§ 100-1 Standards adopted.

There is hereby adopted by the Town Council, pursuant to the provisions of the Code of Virginia, for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and property from fire and explosion, the Statewide Fire Prevention Code Act as set forth in § 27-94 et seq. of the Code of Virginia 1950.

§ 100-2 Administration and enforcement.

The provisions of the Statewide Fire Prevention Code Act shall be administered and enforced by the Chief of the Fire Department and/or the Chief of Police.

§ 100-3 Penalties for offenses.

It shall be unlawful for any owner or any other person or corporation, on or after the effective date of any Code provision, to violate any provisions of this article. Any such violation shall be punishable pursuant to the provisions of § 1-16 of this Code.

Article II Miscellaneous Provisions

[Adopted 10-10-1973 as Ch. 6, Art. I, of the 1973 Code]

§ 100-4 Obedience to orders at fire scenes required; interference with fire fighters prohibited.

A. Every person present at the scene of a fire shall be subject and obedient to the orders of firemen and police officers in any matter relating to extinguishing the fire, removal and protection of persons and property endangered by fire, smoke or water, freedom of Fire Department and medical personnel and apparatus to perform their duties or to function properly and the maintenance of order at or near the scene of the fire, and it shall be unlawful for any person to disobey any such lawful order of a fireman or police officer. Firemen and police officers shall have authority to arrest persons who disobey such orders and to hold them in custody until the fire has been extinguished, at which time the violators shall be dealt with according to law.

B. No person shall interfere with any fireman in the discharge of his duty.

§ 100-5 Setting fires which damage or jeopardize property of another prohibited; liability for damages.

It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally or negligently set any woods or marshes on fire or set fire to any stubble, brush, straw or any other substance capable of spreading fire on lands whereby the property of another is damaged or put in jeopardy; and in addition to any penalty which may be imposed for violation of this section, such person shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred in fighting the fire.

§ 100-6 Bonfires and rubbish fires.

A. Authorization required. No person shall kindle or maintain any bonfire or rubbish fire or authorize any such fire to be kindled or maintained without proper authorization of the Chief of the Fire Department. The Chief of the Fire Department may issue a general authorization subject to such restrictions as he may deem necessary for the protection of persons and property, or he may require special permits for such purposes. During construction or demolition of buildings or structures, no waste materials or rubbish shall be disposed of by burning on the premises or in the immediate vicinity without having obtained a permit or other proper authorization.

B. Location restricted. No person shall kindle or maintain any bonfire or rubbish fire or authorize any such fire to be kindled or maintained on any private land unless the location is not less than 50 feet from any structure and adequate provision is made to prevent fire from spreading to within 50 feet of any structure or the fire is contained in a waste burner of a type approved by the Chief of the Fire Department, located safely not less than 15 feet from any structure.

C. Attendance of open fires. Bonfires and rubbish fires shall be constantly attended by a competent person until such fire is extinguished. This person shall have a garden hose connected to the water supply or other fire-extinguishing equipment readily available for use.

D. Chief may prohibit. The Chief of the Fire Department may prohibit any or all bonfires and outdoor rubbish fires when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous.

§ 100-7 Disposal of hot ashes and other materials.

No person shall deposit hot ashes or cinders or smoldering coals or greasy or oily substances liable to spontaneous ignition into any combustible receptacle or place the same within 10 feet of any combustible materials, except in metal or other noncombustible receptacles. Such receptacles, unless resting on a noncombustible floor or on the ground outside the building, shall be placed on noncombustible stands, and in every case shall be kept at least two feet away from any combustible wall or partition or exterior window opening.

§ 100-8 Fueling of running motor vehicles prohibited.

No owner or attendant of a filling station or any other person shall fill any motor vehicle with gasoline or other fuel while the motor is running, and all operators of motor vehicles shall stop their motors while tanks are being filled with gasoline.

§ 100-9 Safety inspections of certain premises.

It shall be the duty of the Chief of the Fire Department to inspect or cause to be inspected by members of the Fire Department or other qualified persons designated by him all buildings and premises, except the interiors of dwellings, as often as may be necessary for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fire or endanger life from fire or any violations of the provisions or intent of this article and of any other ordinance affecting the fire hazard.

§ 100-10 Dangerous conditions or materials; removal or remedy.

Whenever any of the inspectors mentioned in § 100-9 shall find in any building or upon any premises dangerous or hazardous conditions or materials as follows, he or they shall order such dangerous conditions or materials to be removed or remedied in such manner as may be specified by the Chief of the Fire Department:

A. Dangerous or unlawful amounts of combustible or explosive or otherwise hazardous materials.

B. Hazardous conditions arising from defective or improperly installed equipment for handling or using combustible or explosive or otherwise hazardous materials.

C. Dangerous accumulations of rubbish, wastepaper, boxes, shavings or other highly combustible materials.

D. Accumulations of dust or waste material in air-conditioning or ventilating systems or of grease in kitchen or other exhaust ducts or inadequate clearances to unprotected combustible materials from hoods, grease extractors and ducts.

E. Obstructions to or on fire escapes, designated access openings in exterior walls for Fire Department use, stairs, passageways, doors or windows, liable to interfere with the operations of the Fire Department or egress of occupants in case of fire.

F. Any building or other structure which, for want of repairs, lack of adequate exit facilities, automatic or other fire alarm apparatus or fire-extinguishing equipment, or by reason of age or dilapidated condition, or from any other cause, creates a hazardous condition.

§ 100-11 Compliance required.

It shall be unlawful for any person to violate or fail to comply with any provision of this article or to violate or fail to comply with any order issued pursuant to § 100-10.

§ 100-12 Penalties for offenses.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction, be punishable under the provisions of § 1-16 of this Code.