Edgewater apartment fire prompts building code concerns

The massive blaze that destroyed an apartment complex last week has ignited a conversation about the state's building standards regarding multi-family dwellings.

Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Secaucus) announced that he's pursuing legislation and will work with the Department of Community Affairs and code officials to craft it.

In a conversation with Townsquare Media, Prieto said the sprinkler system was up to code at the Avalon at Edgewater, but stricter standards could have resulted in less damage.

Sprinkler heads were installed only inside apartments, per residential rules. Other stronger standards, for buildings of a certain size and usage, require sprinklers in confined spaces and roof trusses.

Everyone inside escaped safely, but the inferno gutted the 408-unit structure.

"We also need to start looking about protecting the property," Prieto said. "Because if you can minimize the damage, you could save a lot of people's personal property."

A press release from Prieto's office said the building used lightweight wood construction and roof trusses "that often limit the effectiveness of fire suppression methods."

Robert Malanga, a fire protection engineer based in Long Valley, echoed Prieto's thoughts and insisted sprinklers are a must in certain areas that are not mandatorily covered.

"Once the fire gets into the truss void or into the attic, that's a space where the fire department can not easily get to," said Malanga. "That's why it's so important to have sprinklers inside an attic like that. Otherwise, expect it burn from firewall to firewall at the very least."

Prieto said he'd like to get the legislation rolling "quickly," but not without having a solid dialogue with the necessary parties.