DPS neglected years of fire inspections

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Every day for the past eight years, Texas public safety officials went to work in buildings that may not have been safe had a fire broken out, according to state records.

From exit lights that didn't work to propped open doors that would feed out-of-control fires, fire-code violations at the Texas Department of Public Safety headquarters went neglected until Col. Steve McCraw, who now runs the agency, began to address them this year.

"It shouldn't have taken eight years," said McCraw, who took over as director in July. "It should have been addressed immediately. In fact when it was brought to our attention, it was addressed immediately."

Documents show that DPS officials had not responded since at least 2000 to failed fire inspection results inside their main headquarters on North Lamar - as well as various other buildings on its sprawling campus.

The revelations, released by the State Fire Marshall's office, come as DPS shuttered two of its dormitories for recruits after the Texas Public Safety Commission voted it would have cost too much to fix the problems.

Those 80 highway patrol recruits are now sleeping at a hotel about one mile from DPS Headquarters.

"The greatest hazard that we were the most concerned about had to do with the dormitory," said Texas State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado.

As for the other violations found, Maldonado said he was not as concerned, saying they did not pose an, "imminent hazard to a life situation."

The state Fire Marshall's office found 15 violations at DPS's main building in 2008, the latest inspection.

The results showed anything from exit lights not working to a fire sprinkler system with its last inspection in 2004.

Some of the problems found in 2008 went unfixed from a 2000 inspection.

However, Maldonado said a change in DPS leadership within the past year has proven effective to start to implement some changes.

"They've been very, very cooperative over the past year," he said.

Inspectors with the State Fire Marshal's Office noticed doors propped open, which would quickly let a fire spread throughout the building. They also noticed a lack of signage in stairwells to lead employees out of the buildings in case of a fire.

In 2008, the fire marshal also documented a lack of working emergency lights in the Driver License Office, a place where the public has access.

McCraw said he's still actively trying to train his employees on fire safety and security issues around his building, saying he expects no violations.

"That's what I expect at all times," said McCraw. "In absence of that, we take immediate action."