CFD: No fire inspection reported before deadly SouthPark apartment fire

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The Charlotte Fire Department addressed some lingering questions regarding the May 18 five-alarm fire in the SouthPark area of Charlotte.

The fire broke out around 9 a.m. and fire crews say it started in a trailer on the first floor.

Although they found multiple accidental heat sources inside, they have not yet determined how the fire started. In total, 15 people were rescued, including a worker trapped on a crane standing more than 200 feet in the air.

RELATED: CFD: 15 workers rescued, 2 unaccounted for in Charlotte construction site fire

Two of the workers, Demonte Sherrill and Reuben Holmes, died at the scene.

According to CFD, no standpipes, which are pipes that water lines can attach to, were installed.

The Charlotte Fire Marshal’s Office was unable to provide any documentation to show one was installed.

RELATED: ‘We have a fire!’: 911 calls from massive SouthPark fire released

“Anytime an accident happens...it has you take a step back and you want to make sure...am I doing the right things to make sure we’re keeping everybody safe,” said Jacob Garmon, the director of safety at Carolinas AGC.

Fire officials also said they hadn’t received communication before the fire that a fire inspection had been performed.

“Several inspection sites ... we don’t get notified like we should,” said Charlotte’s Fire Marshal, Kevin Miller.

“It’s not rare, it’s unfortunate,” Miller said.

“At the point of this building’s construction, a minimum of one exit was required by code. The building did meet that requirement,” part of the release read.

The press release also cites Chapter 33 - North Carolina Fire Code Section 3308.2 but makes substantial changes to the language. While the news release quotes the code as “the owner is responsible for developing and maintaining an approved pre-fire plan” the actual code language mentions the fire chief and fire code official.

“The fire prevention program superintendent shall develop and maintain an approved pre-fire plan in cooperation with the fire chief. The fire chief and the fire code official shall be notified of changes affecting the utilization of information contained in such pre-fire plans.”

RELATED: Charlotte Fire identifies two killed in massive SouthPark construction fire

The fire code considers “approved” as “acceptable to the fire code official for compliance with the provisions of the applicable code or referenced standard.”

The press release does not mention if that fire plan was ever completed or approved by the fire marshal’s office. WBTV asked the fire department if they ever approved a fire plan and received this response. “No, as there was no communication with the fire marshal’s office.”

WBTV asked why the language was changed but Charlotte Fire has not provided a response.

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