Community
Fall River Fire Department announces replacement of recalled sprinkler heads at group home, boarding houses, shelter
The Fall River Fire Department today announced in a press release that four residential occupancies have successfully completed replacement of recalled sprinkler heads identified during recent annual inspections. While those properties are now in full compliance, the department stressed that additional recalled sprinklers may still exist elsewhere in the city and across the Commonwealth.
“Our mission is to protect the lives and safety of our residents,” said Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon. “We are pleased that the affected property owners acted immediately and achieved full compliance. But this issue is not yet behind us. We need the continued diligence of sprinkler contractors and building owners to help identify and correct similar problems wherever they may exist.”
The recalled sprinklers were manufactured by Central Sprinkler Company between the mid 1970’s until 2001 and were subject to a nationwide recall in 2001 (https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2001/cpsc-centralsprinkler-company-announce-voluntary-recall-to-replace-o-ring-fire). The Fire Prevention Bureau discovered these heads in the four properties earlier in September during routine inspections. Orders of notice were issued at one group home, two boarding houses and one shelter. Each property owner reported no prior knowledge of the recall but acted swiftly once notified. All recalled sprinkler heads were replaced well within the two-week deadline, with temporary fire watches maintained until the work was completed.
Chief Bacon noted that while these properties are now safe, the broader concern remains. “What we found here may exist in other buildings in Fall River and across Massachusetts. We encourage all building owners to consult with their sprinkler service companies and verify that their systems do not contain recalled heads. Early identification and prompt action are critical.”
The FRFD credited Inspector Mark Furtado for identifying the initial issue and emphasized that future progress will depend on the partnership between fire officials, inspectors, sprinkler contractors, and property owners.
