[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of
the Town of Stanley as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 10-10-1973 as Ch. 6, Art. III, of the 1973 Code]
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.
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.
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.
[Adopted 10-10-1973 as Ch. 6, Art. I, of the 1973 Code]
A.Â
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.Â
No person shall interfere with any fireman in the
discharge of his duty.
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.
A.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.Â
Dangerous or unlawful amounts of combustible or explosive
or otherwise hazardous materials.
B.Â
Hazardous conditions arising from defective or improperly
installed equipment for handling or using combustible or explosive
or otherwise hazardous materials.
C.Â
Dangerous accumulations of rubbish, wastepaper, boxes,
shavings or other highly combustible materials.
D.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.
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.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction, be punishable under the provisions of § 1-16 of this Code.