NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
21 February 2003

STATEMENT BY MAYOR REED ON THE RECENT NIGHTCLUB DISASTERS IN CHICAGO AND RHODE ISLAND

Harrisburg, PA—“Last week, 21 people died as a result of what apparently was an illegal nightclub operation—where victims attempted to escape through the only available exit. Other exits were blocked or locked, a clear violation of fire and building codes.

“Now we have another tragedy, with even more having died in the nightclub fire in Rhode Island. Preliminary data indicates the safety measures prescribed under fire and building codes were ignored, with an indoor pyrotechnical display setting fire to the ceiling of the building and 86 clubgoers now listed as dead and hundreds more injured.

“How many times have we heard the complaint that the fire and building codes are an annoyance—that they involve added costs—that they deter investment—that they are an unnecessary interference with private property owners and business operators.

“The fire and building codes in Harrisburg exist not just to assure the condition and appearance of a structure are good—they exist to protect life and property. That is why Harrisburg adopted a Fire Code ten years ago that was considered a national model. That is also why Codes Inspectors every day conduct efforts in the field to require compliance by property owners. It is also why we insist that courts give attention to code violation cases we file—as these are matters that not only affect the quality of a neighborhood or business district but life and safety as well. Harrisburg’s efforts will continue in this regard. It should be noted that many communities in Pennsylvania have little or no fire and building codes, which is why the state Legislature adopted a statewide Building Code that will take effect later this year when the state Dept. of Labor and Industry issues the regulations to implement it.

“If the community and nation needed any reminders about why fire and building codes are important, they got them in tragic ways in the past eight days.”

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