Kaitaia’s Hike and Bike hostel owner David Fisher says he won’t leave, despite Far North District Council issuing him with a Dangerous Building notice over problems with its fire alarm system. Photo / Mike Dinsdale
Kaitaia’s Hike and Bike hostel owner David Fisher says he won’t leave, despite Far North District Council issuing him with a Dangerous Building notice over problems with its fire alarm system. Photo / Mike Dinsdale
A Kaitāia hostel has been ordered to close, with the Far North District Council issuing a Dangerous Building notice after the owner repeatedly turned off its fire alarms.
But Hike and Bike owner David Fisher is defiant, saying despite issues with getting the fire alarm system and building approved - and admitting turning the system off - he won’t go.
Fisher said that would leave himself and 10-12 tenants out on the street, with little accommodation available in the town.
The district council issued the notice this week, with Kevin Johnson, group manager delivery and operations, saying it was due to the building owner turning off the fire alarm.
As a result, Johnson said, no independent qualified person (IQP) will inspect the building and issue a building warrant of fitness (BWOF).
“Without fire safety compliance, the building is deemed to be dangerous. A notice confirming this has been fixed to the building entrance,” he said
“After issuing the notice, all tenants must vacate the building. If people continue to use the building for accommodation while it is classed as dangerous, the council will infringe the building owner.”
However, when the Northland Age visited yesterday there were still people living in the hostel and the notice was no longer affixed to the building.
The council issued the Dangerous Building notice under Section 124 of the Building Act 2004, saying it did not meet Section 121 of the Act: “a territorial authority is satisfied that a building in its district is a dangerous, affected, or insanitary building.”
Johnson said this notice was not related to concerns raised about hostels after the deadly Loafer’s Lodge fire in Wellington.
“This is the culmination of repeated failures to adhere to fire safety regulations over the last five years. During annual inspections in the past, the building has been found to be without operating fire alarms - they have been switched off. The building owner has then complied with safety requirements allowing a BWOF to be issued,” he said.
“The situation has changed this year because the building owner keeps turning off fire alarms. In response, local IQPs will no longer inspect the building and sign off a BWOF. Without a BWOF, the council has no option but to declare the building dangerous. The building will be compliant when the building owner obtains a BWOF.”
Johnson, though, said he didn’t agree with the council and would not be leaving. He suggested the council could give him help to get up to the standards they require. He understood the need for safety rules and regulations and he was trying to comply with them.
If the Hike and Bike hostel in Kaitāia closes due to concerns over its fire alarm system, 10-12 people will be left homeless in a town with no accommodation, building owner David Fisher says. Photo / Mike Dinsdale
He admitted, though, that he did, indeed turn the alarms off.
“What’s the point of having fire alarms if they won’t come to inspect and pass them? The first lot [IQP] was good for a while, but the cost just kept going up so I then used another [IQP] but again, they were good to start with but the price kept going up and I couldn’t afford it,” Fisher said.
“But now none of them will deal with me. How can I get my alarms passed when they won’t work with me?”
He said some of the tenants had been there even longer than he had - he bought it in 1999 - and said kicking them all out would only add to Kaitāia’s homeless problem.
People were sleeping in shop doorways in the town, showing how little accommodation there was, and his tenants were also likely to end up on the streets, he said.
Fisher said it was his job to fight fires in the place, and he had done so in the past when a fire broke out about 20 years ago, so he was fully knowledgeable about being aware of fires and fire safety and risk.
“I’m not going to accept this [Dangerous Building notice] and closing me down. The people here are safe. If they weren’t they wouldn’t live here, they are not stupid. But this [closure] is very scary for them.’’
Fisher said his hostel was totally different from Loafers Lodge and was not a risk.
The Far North District Council, though, does not agree.
■ Five people died in the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, near the centre of the capital city on May 16. Several others were rescued from the roof and had to jump for their lives from windows on the third floor of the building.
