HONOLULU (AP) — The U. S…
HONOLULU (AP) — The U. S. has a mixed bag of laws on whether older high-rise apartment buildings must install fire sprinklers that weren’t required when the towers were first built.
Many cities — including New York, Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco — still have high-rises without the safety measure. Cost is often cited, but after a deadly blaze at a Honolulu tower without sprinklers, many question whether the economics outweigh the potential for tragedy.
Three people died and 12 were injured in the July 14 fire. The Honolulu high-rise was built in 1971, before sprinklers became mandatory for new construction in the city.
Officials estimate about 300 high-rises on Oahu lack the fire prevention measure.
