§ 9-51. Inspections.

(a)

It shall be the duty of the fire chief to inspect or cause to be inspected by the officers and/or members of the fire department as often as may be necessary, but not less than annually, during normal business hours for the establishment in question, all buildings and premises including common or public areas of condominium parcels, except the interior of private residential dwelling units (unless invited therein by the owner or occupant thereof), as well as all public aisles, corridors, halls, rooms, storage areas or other nonresidential areas of such buildings for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected any condition which may cause a fire or any condition which may be a violation of the Lauderhill Fire Prevention Code. Whenever the chief of the fire department determines that a violation exists, the person responsible for maintaining the building or area where such violation exists shall be given written notice to cure the defects within seventy-two (72) hours or such extended period of time as specifically designated by the inspecting officer. Any and all actions taken by the violator(s) to cure said defects must be an affirmative effort to correct same, made in good faith and with due diligence.

(b)

If the fire chief or his designee of the fire department finds a critically hazardous condition which presents immediate danger to life or limb, he shall be authorized to order the hazardous condition removed or corrected immediately and shall further be empowered to order the closing of the building or place where such danger to life or limb exists, until such time as same has been corrected. Any person aggrieved by such order may seek redress from the city council, or otherwise seek injunctive relief from the circuit court of Broward County. Failure of immediate compliance or cooperation by the owner, manager or occupant of the building or place in question, shall empower the fire chief or his designee of the fire department to cause such building or place to be immediately closed and the public or persons contained therein immediately evacuated and barred from re-entering said building or place until such time as the existing immediate danger to life or limb has been completely abrogated.

(c)

The fire chief or his designee of the fire department is herein vested with authority to order any gas company, power company (or other utility company) to disconnect its service to any building or buildings containing gas or power installations where such installations, in the opinion of the fire chief or his designee of the fire department, create an immediate danger to life and limb. Said fire chief or his designee of the fire department shall also have the authority to close or have said building immediately evacuated with reentry barred to the public or occupants thereof until such installation is repaired or replaced and such hazard to life or limb is completely abrogated. Any person aggrieved by such order may seek redress from the city council or otherwise seek injunctive relief from the circuit court of Broward County.

(Ord. No. 23, §§ 6, 7, 8-22-60; Ord. No. 79-145, § 2, 10-16-79)