Tag: Cleveland department of fire

CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team tracked down members of the Cleveland Department of Fire command staff with a camera rolling as we asked about fire safety inspections not being done.

We’ve exposed gaps in safety inspections even at the city’s busiest and tallest buildings.
Wednesday, we found some of the fire department top brass walking through Cleveland City Hall.

Recently, we reported, the city has no records of regular safety inspections in maximum risk buildings such as high-rises. At least, for the last two years. Other records the city gave us included reports dating back to the 1940s.

We approached two assistant chiefs Wednesday, leaving a city council public safety hearing.

We said, “We’ve been trying to get some answers about fire inspections, and fire inspections not being done. Wanted to see what light you could shed on that.”

Asst. Chief Bradley Englehart said, “No comment.”

We confirmed through the mayor’s office that Englehart serves as chief of staff in the fire department and his duties include overseeing the Fire Prevention Bureau.

We followed up our initial inquiry with, “Aren’t you over the Fire Prevention Bureau?”

Englehart, again, answered. “No comment.”

In addition to uncovering the gaps in inspections, we also revealed fire inspectors making massive amounts of overtime. Records show members of the Fire Prevention Bureau, last year, raked in up to $80,000 in overtime.

Meantime, we’ve also done more digging into inspections at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Travelers we met expect an airport to keep up on fire safety.

We found, the city’s fire department had no records of inspections at Hopkins for the last four years.

Then, the city referred us to the Airport fire unit.

The city sent us records showing many fire systems at the airport get checked by private contractors. These records show a sprinkler system inspection late last summer revealed a list of repairs needed. We did not get records showing those repairs were done. But, the airport says repairs did get made, and the system is operational.

Records also show another fire protection system checked by airport firefighters was last inspected in 2022. But, the airport says that system is in the process of being, completely, replaced.

The Cleveland fire chief has refused to talk to us on camera about any of this. We first began inquiring as far back as late last year.

Now, we see the chief’s command staff avoiding questions, too.
We ended our conversation with Asst. Chief Englehart, saying, “Talking to you in a public building after a public meeting. Asking a question of importance to the public. So, that’s your message to the public?”

He answered, “Yeah, no comment.”

We plan to continue to ask questions about the safety inspections.

CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team has found the Cleveland Department of Fire not doing regular inspections for fire hazards even in the city’s tallest buildings.

For weeks, we requested inspection records, and we came away with what we did not see. And, we looked into what it means for your safety.

Last September, we covered a fire burning in a high-rise apartment building on the city’s east side. And, in 2022, we saw a raging fire at the top of a downtown apartment complex.

But, the I-TEAM has found no evidence the fire department is conducting regular life safety inspections.

We requested “general inspections” of “maximum risk” buildings for the last two years. The response we received back included  “The … Cleveland Division of Fire … has not located … records …”

So, we took a closer look.

For one high-rise hotel downtown, we found no inspection records. For another big hotel, we saw only inspections tied to ballrooms and entertainment licenses.

For Tower City, we received a few receipts showing electrical work and work done on some safety equipment. But, no fire department inspections.

Records show firefighters, recently, went into a downtown apartment complex four times due to problems with the alarm system. Yet, we saw no evidence of any full inspection.

We also found no records of inspections the last four years at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Outside two high-rise apartment buildings where we’ve seen recent fires, people reacted to our findings.

One man said, “Things happen. Before you know it. Things happen.”

And, a woman said, “I’m very concerned with the fire department and this building.”

But, the fire chief and the safety director are not answering questions on camera for the I-Team. We first started inquiring about this last year. The mayor’s office will not explain why no one from the city will address this on camera.

So, what should be happening? We requested the department’s inspections policy.  It’s dated 2018. And, it says the goal should be to do general inspections of the highest risk buildings every year.

We reached out to the National Fire Protection Association. And, we asked, “How important is it that a fire department goes in to make those checks?”

Shawn Mahoney, an NFPA fire protection engineer said, “I mean, it’s very important, especially in those higher risk buildings.”

He spoke about inspections no matter where you live.

“For fire life safety protection systems, we don’t usually use them,” Mahoney said. “And, when we really need them, we want to make sure they work properly.”

The Ohio Fire Chief’s Association also spoke in general terms about inspections.

Colin Altman told us inspections are aimed at keeping people safe if they’re in a building, or, if they’re called to that building to fight a fire.

“The nature of a fire prevention inspection for us is two-fold,” he said. “You want to know that you’ve been in there, and that that owner is complying with the fire code.”

But, in Cleveland, no records of regular fire inspections. Not even for city hall.

We will be following up as we get more records requests back concerning this, and we keep asking more questions about your safety.