Sprinklers needed In Portland nightclubs, Saltzman says

Portland Commissioner Dan Saltzman is proposing that large nightclubs in the city be required to install sprinkler systems, in case of fire.

The proposed ordinance applies to all nightclubs in Portland that hold more than a hundred people.

Portland Fire Marshall Nate Takara drafted the resolution after looking at how well fire suppression sprinkler systems work nation-wide: According to a fact sheet created by Portland Fire and Rescue, there is no record of a fire killing more than two people in a building equipped with automatic sprinklers.

Commissioner Saltzman says that while Portland has not yet had a tragedy like the Kiss Nightclub fire in Brazil that killed more than 200 people earlier this year, he’s not taking any chances.

“We can be preventive about it and act now or we’ll convene as a city council the day after some tragedy and do the same thing. So let’s do it now and save lives, hopefully,” he explained.

The sprinklers systems could cost club owners tens of thousands of dollars.

The resolution could be approved as early as next week.