For purposes of this article, costs incurred by the City in
controlling and extinguishing fire shall include wages of fire personnel
employed to extinguish fire; reasonable charges for apportioned costs
of equipment, buildings, and administrative personnel; cost of any
special materials or equipment used to extinguish fire or remove dangerous
or hazardous condition resulting therefrom; cost of other City personnel
and equipment employed in fire suppression; and additional and reasonable
expenditures incurred by the City to mitigate tire problems and remove
any dangerous condition resulting therefrom.
[Amended 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
The following persons shall be responsible for costs incurred
by the City of Camden: Any person who starts a fire, whether on his
own property or the property of another, who:
A.
Willfully,
knowingly or recklessly places another person in danger of death or
bodily harm, including those persons engaged in fire suppression;
or
B.
Willfully
or knowingly or recklessly places the property of another in danger
of destruction for the purpose of destroying that person's property
or the property of another to collect for the damage or destruction
of the property, to commit arson or employs another person or persons
to accomplish such destruction.
The City Business Administrator or designee is authorized to
bill and collect costs due from any person responsible for incurred
expenditures, and as necessary to direct the City Attorney to institute
litigation for recovery of costs.
No property owner shall be relieved of responsibility for the
cost of fire suppression arising under circumstances present during
property ownership solely by reason of the fact that transfer of ownership
before or after a fire occurred, giving rise to costs.
Remedies provided in this article shall supplement any remedy
available to the City by state law or cumulative as other City ordinances
and shall not preclude the City from taking any other action to recover
costs associated with fire suppression and removal of dangerous or
hazardous conditions resulting therefrom.
