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Problems solved Fire-code violations corrected in time for Preakness
Posted: Thursday May 18, 2000 09:43 AM BALTIMORE (AP) -- Fire-code violations at Pimlico Race Course that threatened to cancel the lucrative Preakness Stakes have been corrected in time for Saturday's race, city housing officials said Wednesday. "There's absolutely no reason, with the progress we've seen, to say the Preakness can't go forward," said Zack Germroth, a spokesman for the city's Housing Authority. The Preakness annually draws about 100,000 people, and provides Maryland Racing with the lion's share of its yearly receipts. Housing officials said 10 violations found by inspectors have been fixed. A sprinkler system still needs to be installed, and further improvements need to be made to the fire alarm system in the track's grandstand. The violations came to light following a power outage during the 1998 Preakness, which left many fans standing in darkened stairwells. Housing officials had threatened to sue the track's owners because of fire-code violations at the 130-year-old track. Building inspectors detailed the violations for the city Planning Commission in March when the track's operator, the Maryland Jockey Club, sought city approval to install portable luxury skyboxes and new horse barns. Planning officials refused the request, telling the track's operators to deal with the safety violations. The track has not had major improvements since 1954, but income from this year's Preakness will help fund a $60 million renovation of Pimlico and neighboring Laurel Park. To deal with the lack of a sprinkler system, the track will hire 30 fire department personnel to ensure safety during the Preakness, said Robert DePietro, executive vice president of the Maryland Jockey Club. Last year, the track installed temporary exit stairways supported by scaffolding, said city inspector John Cole, who has supervised the safety improvements. "We and Pimlico were not comfortable with them," Cole said. Safety improvements made at the track over the past six weeks include the addition of two fire-rated stairwells, which prevent smoke from entering during a fire, and 10 staircases in front of the grandstand. Sections of the rail between the track and the grandstand have also been modified to allow them to slide open so fans can escape onto the track if a fire breaks out, Germroth said. Twenty-seven new exit doors have been added in the past year, almost tripling the number of exit doors in the grandstand, Germroth said. Exit signs and emergency lighting have been improved, and a diesel generator to provide power for the emergency lights and exit signs has also been brought in, Germroth said. Aisles in the grandstand have also been aligned with exits to improve traffic flow, he said. Work is continuing on the safety improvements, but is expected to be finished in time for a final inspection Friday, DePietro said. DePietro estimated the safety improvements cost about $1 million. "On a scale of 1-to-100, we're at the 97 percent mark," DePietro said. "We'll be ready to go Friday for the final inspection."
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