(A) Duty of the Chief in case of fire. Whenever a fire shall occur in the town, it shall be the duty of the Chief to report immediately to the place of the fire and take active charge of the fighting thereof.
(Prior Code, § 6.1.01)
(B) Chief to investigate cause of every fire. Immediately after the occurrence of any fire, the Chief shall investigate or shall cause to be investigated the cause, origin and circumstances thereof, and, as far as possible, shall determine whether the fire was the result of accident, carelessness or design. If he or she has reason to believe that the fire was of suspicious origin, he or she shall notify the proper authorities designated by law to pursue the investigation of the matter and shall further cooperate with the authorities in collecting of evidence and in the prosecution of the case when properly instituted.
(Prior Code, § 6.1.02)
(C) Record of fires to be kept. The Chief shall keep, or shall cause to be kept, an accurate record of all fires occurring in the town. For each fire, the following information shall be secured and kept:
(1) Location of premises;
(2) Owner;
(3) Brief description of premises whether of brick, stone, concrete, iron or wood;
(4) How occupied, whether as dwelling, storehouse, factory, workshop or otherwise;
(5) Amount and nature of damages as to both real and personal property;
(6) Amount of insurance;
(7) Cause of fire; and
(8) Date.
(Prior Code, § 6.1.03)
(D) Inspection to be made. It shall be the duty of the Chief to inspect or cause to be inspected, as often as may be necessary, but not less than four times a year, all specially hazardous manufacturing processes, storage or installations of acetylene or other gases, chemicals, oils, explosives and inflammable materials, all interior fire alarms and automatic sprinkler systems and other hazards or appliances, as may be necessary for the enforcement of the law and ordinance governing the same and for the safeguarding of life and property from fire. It shall also be the duty of the Chief to inspect or cause to be inspected as often as may be necessary, but not less than twice a year in outlying districts and four times a year in closely built portions of the town, all buildings and premises, except the interiors of private dwellings, for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fire or any violation of the provisions or intent of any ordinance of the town affecting fire hazards.
(Prior Code, § 6.1.04)
(E) Inspection to be made upon complaint. Whenever any person shall make written complaint to the Chief that any business or premises constitutes a fire hazard, it shall be the duty of the Chief to have same inspected immediately.
(Prior Code, § 6.1.05)
(F) Chief to order fire hazards remedied. Whenever the Chief shall find that any building or any premises constitutes a fire hazard, for any reason, he or she shall serve or cause to be served upon the owner and the occupant of the building a written notice specifying the condition complained of, ordering the same remedied promptly and indicating what is considered a reasonable time for compliance with the order.
(Prior Code, § 6.1.06)
(G) Failure to comply with order unlawful. It shall be unlawful for any occupant or owner of the building or premises to fail to comply within a reasonable time after the service of any order with the requirements thereof.
(Prior Code, § 6.1.07)
(H) Power of members of Fire Department. Any member of the Fire Department or any person acting under the orders of the Chief shall have the right to go upon the premises of any person, and to enter any building or room and insert the hose and turn on the water whenever, in the judgment of the Chief, it shall be necessary.
(Prior Code, § 6.1.08)
Penalty, see § 10.99
Cross-reference:
Fire Prevention; Fire Districts, see Ch. 91