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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 Mar 15 - Cape Cod Times ArticleAll 2 ■ Cape Cod Times SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2003 -Mill Hill: Code violations force partial closure of club continued from A-1 regional Miss Brazil -USA competi- tion. Inspectors initially closed down the entire building, but after emer- gency lights were fixed, the wiring inspector agreed to open the lounge portion of the club, Raiskio said. The violations came to light after the fire department and town build- ing inspector began looking at area bars and clubs following the deadly blaze last month at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., which claimed the lives of 99 people and injured more than 190 others. Rhode Island investigators look- ing into the Feb. 20 blaze said py- rotechnics used by the band Great White ignited soundproofing foam, sending thick, dark clouds of smoke billowing through the club. Cape and islands authorities have been inspecting local clubs to en- sure a similar tragedy does not hap- pen here. For the Mill Hill Club to fully open, the owners will have to do something about the insulation, offi- cials said. "They either have to cover (the in- sulation) up, remove it or show proof that there is fire-resistant in- sulation up there,"Raiskio said. An exit door also had to be fixed. "It had a lock on it. We don't allow that,"he said. Raiskio said the owners of the File Photo: RON SCHLOERB/Cape Cod Time., Aaron Small and Part One perform in the battle of the bands at the Mill Hill Club in West Yarmouth in September of 2000. Building and fire inspectors closed an area of the club yesterday for several violations, most notably a locket fire -exit door and suspect insulation. property were cooperating with the inspection process and working to correct all violations. At the first inspection Feb. 28, Raiskio found combustible items, such as boxes and flammable liq- uids, near heating units. That viola- tion has since been remedied, the building sprinkler system has been checked and fire extinguishers have been inspected. "They've corrected a lot of the problems,"the captain said. Others towns on Cape Cod con- ducted similar nightclub checks fol- lowing the Rhode Island fire. Hyannis fire prevention officers who checked out several clubs found no major violations, Hyannis Fire Deputy Chief Dean Melanson said. One multistory club with a smoke machine was told that the special ef- fect could impair visibility. The own- er agreed to bar its use, he said. Hyannis clubs were free of the foam that may have contributed to the deaths at The Station. "There was no Styrofoam any- where,"Melanson aid. Records of local fire and building inspections are not recorded with the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, spokeswoman Jen- nifer Mieth said yesterday. After The Station fire, the fire marshal encouraged fire chiefs to practice due diligence when con- ducting inspections and to make note of requirements placed on clubs using indoor special -effects displays, Mieth said. Yesterday, the secretary of Public Safety convened a task force to look at fire safety issues in nightclubs and places of public gathering. Part of Yarmouth club shut for code violations ■ Inspectors cite exit door, insulation as Mill Hill's `biggest problems' By EMILY C. DOOLEY STAFF WRITER WEST YARMOUTH - Building and fire inspectors shut down a portion of the Mill Hill Club yesterday after dis- covering building, plumbing, fire and electrical violations. Styrofoam insulation in the ceiling and a fire exit door that could be locked were the most serious prob- lems, said Yarmouth Fire Capt. Peter Raiskio. "The building has a huge list (of vio- lations)," Raiskio said. "The biggest problems were the egress and the insu- lation." Mill Hill Club owner Jim Liadis de- clined to comment yesterday. The roomy club has a dance floor and features live music, often rock 'n' roll. It has also hosted arm -wrestling contests and was the site of a 2002 Please see MILL HILL /A-12