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2 Fires Avoided At Clinton Ave. School; Cause Probed

by Melissa Bailey | Jan 30, 2007 4:52 pm

(3) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Schools

IMG_7057.JPGJust 15 months after the sparkling new Clinton Avenue School reopened its doors, school officials noticed a burning smell. They pulled a fire alarm. After a second episode, an investigation began into possible flaws in the school’s design.

As part of the mayor’s $1.48 billion school reconstruction program, the Clinton Avenue School underwent a $37 million transformation with new science labs, a language lab, a computer lab, a cafeteria, gymnasium, auditorium and library media center.

Renovation, overseen by Gilbane Construction and designed by architect Ken Boroson, was completed in time for a reopening as a K-8 school in August 2005.

Just over a year later, on Nov. 27, 2006, school officials noticed a burning smell. A fire was avoided by the flip of a switch. It turns out a lighting fixture had overheated, according to Assistant Fire Chief Ralph Black.

The Board of Education sent the light fixture back to Gilbane and Boroson and continued on their way. They asked the architects to investigate “whether it was a design issue or a faulty fixture.—¬ù

When the same thing happened again on Dec. 15, the school board started to wonder if something had been ill-designed, said Robin Golden, the schools’ chief operating officer. “That’s why we think there might be an issue.—¬ù

The apparent defect won’t cost the school system any extra money, said Golden. While the school board awaits results of the design team’s research, they’ll be keeping an eye on the ceiling and a nose in the air.

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posted by: robn on January 30, 2007  6:07pm

Its highly unlikely that the suspected flaw which the writer mentions is a “design” flaw. Architects rarely design light fixtures. Also, no matter what’s in a design, Buildiers are required by law to build to International Building Code including very specific requirements for fixture installation and wiring.

posted by: B on January 31, 2007  3:23pm

It could still be a design flaw ROBN no matter whose fault it is.
Just to clarify, architects, though they are not electrical engineers, do typically hire the electrical engineers to spec the lighting for their design.  This of course makes them ultimately responsible.

posted by: robn on February 1, 2007  2:56pm

B,

It depends upon how the contract is structured. Sometimes the architect doesn’t hold the engineers contact. Even if the architect does, the engineer stamps their own drawings and design liability rests with them.

You could be right abvout design flaws however, regardless of design, 99% of specs begin with verbiage that eseentially says “build to code”. The law says the same thing.

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