Fire tragedies prompt a search for safety
Ladders could help residents escape flames
Saturday, April 26, 2008
HAMILTON — After several fires in recent years — one of which killed four children — the Neilan Park Apartments' owners are looking into purchasing escape ladders for third-floor units.
Butch Hubble, chairman of the Hamilton Community Council, demonstrated a rope escape ladder for property owner Dan Gorman at the apartments on Friday, April 25. The $30 ladder supports up to 1,000 pounds, Hubble said.
Extras
Hubble thinks past tragedies at the apartment complex warrant additional precautions.
In November 2005, a fire in a third-floor apartment took the lives of four of Asia Moss' children. Though she now lives in Lindenwald, she joined Hubble for the demonstration Friday. But she said she didn't know if such a device would have saved her children.
"I can't say. I can't go back on the past. It'll help in the future," Moss said.
During a fire in June 2007, a mother dropped her child from a third-floor window into the arms of a neighbor.
With Gorman looking on Friday, a resident put the ladder on the window and climbed down within 79 seconds.
"We would definitely train everyone, but we really want to do this ... right now to show how simple it is," Hubble said.
Gorman followed the resident down the ladder to get his own feel for it.
"It's a little rickety," he said. "But if there's a fire there, I'd rather have it."
Gorman said the number of ladders per unit would have to be worked out, but he thought the ladders could benefit the residents and committed to Hubble to invest in them.
