University Fined $21,000 by State

Photo by: 

Charlie Reetz

St. Lawrence University was fined $21,100, for failure to correct a series of fire code violations on campus. The third fire code inspection in February came after two previous inspections. Over the 60-day period the university failed to correct the violations resulting in the recent fines. 

Tom Coakley, Vice President for Administrative Operations, said there were four categories of violations: uninspected fire extinguishers, fire doors propped open, unsafe extension cables, and combustible materials stored dangerously close to ceilings and sprinklers. 

Media relations director, Macreena Doyle expressed numerous times that there was a variety in the costs as well as the violations. She said most were in campus offices, while there were very few in residence halls. She noted on the danger caused by these violations, “When something is done willfully [propping fire doors] that’s pretty serious.” Doyle said that throughout the series of inspections, the occupants were notified if there was a violation, and they were told what needed to be changed. She said, “ultimately it’s everyone’s responsibility to make changes,” but the VP for administrative affairs, Tom Coakley, is in charge of fire code on Campus. 

Coakley expressed that this year, the university will need to cover all the fines, but he said in a phone interview that, “in following years, fines will be charged to the individual occupants.” He said this would be the only change to procedures regarding fire code; however, in an email to SLU faculty and staff Coakley said that fire safety staff, “will assume the right to enter the space, correct the violation, charge the occupant for any costs incurred, and remove any contents causing the violation.” According to Coakley’s email, the five basic premises that every campus space needs to follow are as follows: 

  1. No materials can be stored or located within 18 inches of a

     sprinkler head or within 24 inches of an unsprinklered ceiling.

  2. Work areas must be maintained in an orderly manner with any

     combustible materials properly stored.

  3. No unapproved extension cords may be used and all power strips

     must be plugged directly into an outlet, not into an extension

     cord or another power strip.

  4. Exits and aisles must always be clear and accessible with fire

     doors in the closed position.

  5. Fire protection equipment, extinguishers, and sprinklers must be

     in working order, periodically inspected (in the case of

     extinguishers), and unobstructed (in the case of sprinklers).

The six uninspected fire extinguishers on campus, which cost $10,500, made up nearly half the total cost of the fines and were found at the townhouses exclusively, said Director of Residence Life Matha Thornton. She noted that the university is solely responsible for these costs. Thornton wanted to say that, “since then, facilities has checked every townhouse fire extinguisher, and all have passed.”  

Doyle called the fines, “not insignificant,” and she said these are not something the university plans for in their budget. “This is not money we plan to spend,” she said. The money will have to come from the university general budget, she suggested that there would be “small cuts here and there,” but Coakley said the university is currently attempting to negotiate with the Office of New York State Fire Prevention and Control. “We’re requesting to offset the cost with a production of a training video.”  The video could then be used as an education tool on campus in lieu of spending thousands of dollars. The proposal sent to ONYSFP&C has not been answered as of Wednesday.