Houston fire inspectors claim: Don't cite city buildings

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A blinking light marked "trouble" in the Sagemont Community Center just off I-45 in southeast Houston means trouble for everyone doing business in city-operated buildings, according group of fire inspectors who spoke exclusively to ABC-13.

The blinking light -- and a constant, steady beep -- means that the building's fire alarm and sprinkler system needs fixing, even as local children play basketball in the building.

The inspectors tell ABC-13 that they have been told not to issue tickets to city-owned buildings. In the case of the Sagemont Community Center, a city inspector noticed the problem on March 21 and told the city it needed to be fixed by Jun 25.

Two weeks after that deadline, the problem remains. They city blames the Sagemont inspection problem on staff re-shuffling.

"If you're not handing out tickets or doing re-inspections. then of course the question is: Are any other buildings dangerous?" said Randall Kallinen, an attorney representing a group of fire inspectors.

Kallinen and his clients will be speaking at City Hall on Tuesday about the city building inspections, as well as problems they have in connection with the inspectors overtime system.

The push to inspect city-owned buildings began earlier this year after an insurance audit noted it was not being done.

City fire officials deny any such order was passed down through the ranks. Inspectors were told not to issue tickets to the workers in the buildings, but to Scott Minnix. the director of the city's General Services Department.

"That's their perception," said Houston Fire Marshal Richard Galvan -- but not the truth, he says.

A records check, though, shows not a single ticket has been issued to Minnix by fire inspectors.

Fire officials did show numerous records that inspections of city-owned buildings have been done and re-inspections scheduled.

The Houston Fire Department did not provide any evidence of citations issued to city-owned buildings nor evidence of any re-inspections being conducted.

"Many of those are still in the grace period and are not up for re-inspections," Houston Fire Department spokesman Ruy Lozano said. "The duty of the Houston Fire Department is to provide the highest level of customer service to its citizens, while providing for the safety of firefighters. Building inspections provide for both. In response to recent allegations made, the HFD has no policy exempting city buildings from any part of the inspection process."

Ted Oberg Investigates will continue digging and will report back.