Fire Chief A.L. Duckett's Recommendations to Make 6 Schools Safer, Dec. 1, 1922

Chief Recommends Repairs at Schools. . . Submits Report to City Board. . . Head of Fire Fighters Urges Changes in Six School Buildings Here Following Inspection

In order to better protect the pupils at six public schools, Chief A.L. Duckett of the fire department yesterday submitted report of his recent inspections of the school buildings, together with recommendation to the board of city commissioners at their session yesterday. In submitting the report, Mr. Duckett urged that the recommendations be carried out as soon as possible.

Following is the report:

Orange street school—Have plastering over boilers repaired. Have fire door installed on opening through brick wall to coal bin. Have small door leading to radiator room made fire proof. Have openings closed in brick wall back of coal bin. Have seats installed in auditorium, so that they may be fastened to the floor, also have fire escapes installed in front of this auditorium room.

“I especially call attention to the auditorium of this building. It accommodates about 500 people and they are using loose chairs for seating. The only means of exit is by two inside stairways or cut through class rooms to fire escapes on either side of the building. It is my opinion that is a fire drill should be called while the children are assembled in this auditorium that there would be much confusion in getting them out, as they naturally would turn the chairs over and be confused as to whether they should leave by the stairways or find their way through the class rooms to the fire escapes.”

Montford school—Have stairway from first floor to basement closed. Have brick wall built between boilers and coal bin. Have opening in brick wall next to stairway closed, and have fire door installed in same wall. Have ceiling lathed with metal laths and plastered. Have basement cleaned up, remove old lumber, rubbish, etc.

“I consider this basement the worst from a fire standpoint of any school building in the city.”

Murray school—Have stairway closed form first floor to basement. Have fire door installed on opening between boiler room and coal bin. Have banisters and steps on south side of building repaired. Have steps repaired at fire escape on north side of building. “I am informed by the principal that these steps have been broken for several months and it is impossible for the children to enter or leave the building through this door and should be attended to at once.

West Asheville—Have two gongs installed, one in each of the two new rooms on the basement floor. Have lock repaired on fire exit on the east of the building. This door cannot be used in case of an emergency.

Hill street—Have new rope or cable put on the fire door in the furnace room leading to coal bin. Hagve the two fire doors at each end of the boiler room made self-closing or automatically closing.

Ashland avenue school—Have fire wall built between boiler room and coal bin with fire door in the opening to main building. Have janitor’s room made more safe if he is to continue to use it. Have new gong installed on second floor and a larger one placed on first floor and transfer the one now on first floor to kindergarten room.

From the Asheville Citizen, December 1, 1922