Probe of Fire Extinguisher Services Spurs 127 Charges

A sting operation by three fire agencies has resulted in a 42-count criminal complaint against a Tarzana firm that allegedly cheated customers by failing to service their fire extinguishers properly, rendering many of the devices useless.

Charged with an additional 85 counts in the misdemeanor complaints were nine service people from six other companies-- including workers in Sherman Oaks and Sylmar. The charges include operating without a license and fraud and theft, stemming from allegations that the firms charged for work that was not performed or was done inadequately.

Sue Frauens, a deputy Los Angeles city attorney in the consumer protection division, said Friday that the practice of improperly servicing extinguishers in commercial structures, condominiums and apartment complexes is akin to “playing Russian roulette, with the public being the potential victim.”

Arraignments Scheduled

Myron Seligson, owner of National Fire Extinguisher Service Co., was charged on 42 counts, the largest number among the 10 defendants. Seligson, who was to have been arraigned this week in Los Angeles Municipal Court, was granted a continuance until May 23.

The other nine defendants are scheduled for arraignment Thursday. Each count carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The charges, which were filed March 29, arose from a joint undercover operation conducted by the Los Angeles Fire Department, the state fire marshal and the Alhambra Fire Department. The sting, which began in June, was the largest of its kind in the city, according to Fire Department inspector Thomas Laski.

In response to complaints against a number of firms, undercover fire inspectors posed as customers, while other inspectors monitored the work that was performed.

‘Rag and Tag’ Servicing

In many cases, repairmen did not do all the work required by state law, Laski asserted. In others, they simply put a new tag on the extinguishers without servicing them at all--a procedure that has been dubbed “rag and tag” by the fire marshal’s office.

“They take a rag to it, clean it up on the outside and tag it,” explained James Wait, deputy director to the fire marshal. Wait said the fire marshal has been conducting an average of one sting operation a month throughout the state for 1 1/2 years.

Most commercial structures and multi-family residential units are required to have fire extinguishers on the premises and to have them inspected yearly.

Extinguishers that contain water or dry chemicals must be emptied annually, refilled and checked for proper operation, Laski said. The repair company is required to show proof of service by attaching identical tags to the inside and outside of the extinguisher.

Extinguishers that contain carbon dioxide or halon must be weighed each year to ensure that the contents have not leaked out.

Liability in Event of Fire

If the fire extinguishers are not in proper working order and a fire breaks out, both the repair company and the property owner could be held liable for damages, Laski said.

Each fire extinguisher repair company and each of its servicemen must be licensed by the state fire marshal. The procedure requires repairmen to pass a written examination.

In some of the cases, individual repairmen were charged but the companies they work for were not held responsible for their actions, Frauens said. In other instances, the repairman owned the firm, so the company also was named in the complaint.

Laski said the sting operation focused on 10 firms and resulted in charges being filed against workers at seven.

“That’s not a very good average” of reliable servicing, he said.

The results alarmed the city attorney’s office, Frauens said, prompting a review to determine whether penalties against offenders could be strengthened.

Individuals, Firms Charged

“When you’re talking about potentially and purposely jeopardizing the public safety, and when you can show that it’s an aggravated situation, maybe that should be a felony,” Frauens said.

The individuals charged were:

Vladimir Guskov, a serviceman for Z and S Fire Equipment Co. of Los Angeles, six counts; Leland J. Lackey, working for A-Alarm Fire Co. of Sherman Oaks, seven counts, and David Allen Higgins, a serviceman for Ever-Ready Fire Extinguisher of Glendale, five counts. The firms themselves were not named.

Charges filed against companies and repairmen included: James Douglas Jones, owner, Fire Chasers Equipment Co. of Sylmar, five counts; Robert Ankele, serviceman, Freddie Rodriguez, serviceman, and Hotaek Lee, owner, Olympic Fire Extinguisher Co. of Los Angeles, 38 counts; Frank L. Ruiz, serviceman, and Sherwin Honig, owner, California State Fire Protection Co., Mar Vista, 24 counts.

Residents who suspect they may have faulty fire extinguishers handled by these companies can contact Laski at the Fire Department’s Bureau of Fire Prevention and Public Safety, (213) 485-5979.