By WAYNE THOMPSON
Auckland's top fire safety officer yesterday went to the 12th floor penthouse of a North Shore building to make "a final offer" to its elderly resident to let the Fire Service fit smoke detectors.
Ian Braggins' offer was refused on a point of legal principle by resident Jack Scott, a National Government cabinet minister until his retirement in 1969.
Mr Scott has tried to encourage other owners of the 60 apartments in the Devon Park building to join his protest at the North Shore City Council's posting a Dangerous Building Notice late last month.
This followed a Fire Service assessment of fire risk and a fire drill that revealed the building's alarm battery was flat.
Mr Scott said the building was as safe as it was when built to comply with the law 33 years ago, and that the service could not apply a revamped law retrospectively.
He was sticking to his guns about refusing safety improvements yesterday when Mr Braggins told Mr Scott he was concerned about how he would fare in a real fire evacuation. Mr Scott was walking with the aid of crutches after recent joint-replacement surgery.
"The notice is illegal and I'll see them in court," said Mr Scott.
"If they try to throw me out I'll have them charged with assault."
Mr Braggins said later that all other residents had accepted the need for additional smoke detectors as an interim measure until improvements were carried out within the required 28 days.
Council area development services manager Doug Naylor said the council would consider seeking a court ruling to enforce the fire safety laws, or to have Mr Scott leave his home until work was carried out.
The chairman of the building's body corporate, James Verstoep, said residents would meet on Monday to consider a recommendation that an early warning smoke-detection system be installed at a cost of $70,000 to $80,000.
Resident refuses smoke alarms
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