A Franklin County judge has ordered the owners of Columbus Northeast Side apartments to keep surveillance on their property for fire hazards after multiple code violations were found.
The May 5 court order signed by Franklin County Environmental Court Judge Stephanie Mingo orders the owners of the apartment properties located at 2200 Walford Lane and 2160-2180 Fitzroy Drive to ensure certain protocols are in place.
Court records say Columbus fire inspectors looked at the properties in April and found multiple violations of the fire code that presented real and imminent danger to tenants. The fire department ordered the property owners to institute a temporary fire watch – surveillance put in place when fire alarms and sprinkler systems are out of service to spot a fire quicker.
The owners will also be required, according to the court order, to keep a record of when checks have been made and provide that to Mingo.
“Landlords who violate fire codes and create unsafe living conditions for their tenants will be held accountable in the city of Columbus,” City Attorney Zach Klein said in a news release. “Either fix the problem and follow the Division of Fire’s protocols or find yourself in court.”
Mingo’s order requires the property’s private security firm to keep the fire watch patrol and log.
Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Judge orders Columbus NE Side apartment owners to fix fire code violations
Reporting by Bethany Bruner, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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