The death of University student Kurt Latiolais in an apartment fire in October alerted other students to fire dangers. But certain regulations are in place to prevent other tragedies.
Ray Cutrer, chief of the Baton Rouge Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau, said all apartments must provide appropriate fire equipment.
Cutrer said existing apartment complexes must have fire extinguishers and a smoke detector in the living area, usually in the living room or main hallway.
But new apartments that are constructed have additional regulations in place.
Specifically, Cutrer said new apartments must have a smoke detector in each bedroom in addition to one in the living area. New apartments also must have fire extinguishers in the complex.
Cutrer said fire extinguishers must be within a 75-foot travel distance from residents and can either be in a main corridor or in the individual apartments.
In a Letter to the Editor written to The Reveille, Latiolais’ sister, Muriel Latiolais, said the smoke alarm in Kurt’s Genedi Apartment never went off, and a fire extinguisher outside of his apartment was stamped with the year 1986.
Despite this, Muriel Latiolais said students should check for proper fire prevention equipment and notify landlords if they suspect a problem.
In addition, Cutrer said newly constructed apartments that are three stories or taller are required to have fire alarms and sprinkler systems.
Despite the many regulations, Cutrer said some decisions are left up to individual property managers, such as exactly where to put the extinguishers.
“Each apartment complex is different,” Cutrer said. “There are a lot of variables depending on the building.”
Donna Riddle, community manager for Sterling Apartments on Burbank Drive, said each individual apartment has its own fire extinguisher. In addition, Riddle said there are fire alarms in each apartment.
Riddle said she cautions residents about ways to prevent fires, such as never leaving food cooking on stoves and never leaving flammable objects unattended.
Fontayne, manager of the Place Du Plantier Apartments on Lee Drive, said all of the apartments have smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in the individual apartments.
Fontayne said the extinguishers are inspected each year by fire inspectors and the batteries in the smoke alarms are changed regularly.
“We follow the standard procedures,” Fontayne said.
While several students said they live in houses or dorms and did not know much about apartments, Chris Southerland, a computer science senior, said he thought the apartments he lived in throughout Baton Rouge had adequate fire protection.