The owner of an apartment building on Noyes Street where six people died in a fire in November could face court sanctions if he doesn’t correct fire safety violations at a nearby building by Tuesday.
The city inspected the building at 188 Dartmouth St. on Dec. 19 after receiving complaints about potential fire hazards, city spokeswoman Jessica Grondin said in an email Tuesday night. The inspection revealed numerous safety problems, including storage of debris and trash inside the building, a third-floor smoke detector that had been removed and extension cords strung between rooms and through hallways that remained in use despite warnings from the city, Grondin said.
City inspectors returned for a follow-up inspection Jan. 7, but tenants refused to let them in, Grondin said.
The city will attempt to contact owner Gregory Nisbet and the building’s tenants Friday to make them aware that a final inspection will take place Tuesday, Grondin said. If the violations have not been corrected by then, the city will issue a second notice of violation – the precursor to taking Nisbet to court.
Nisbet owns the building two blocks away at 20 Noyes St., where six people died in a Nov. 1 fire that remains under investigation. It was Maine’s deadliest fire in 40 years.
Last week, Nisbet and the tenants of 188 Dartmouth St. worked out an agreement in Portland District Court that requires the tenants to voluntarily move out of the building by Feb. 15. The case was continued until Feb. 19, after which any tenants who haven’t left may be forcibly removed.
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