LOS ANGELES : Automatic Gas Shutoffs for New Buildings Urged
Automatic valves that would shut off gas lines in an earthquake should be installed in new and remodeled buildings, the head of a key Los Angeles City Council panel said Monday.
Councilman Marvin Braude’s recommendation differs from a previous, wider-ranging proposal to retrofit industrial and commercial buildings and apartment complexes with at least five units. The council rejected that plan two weeks ago.
The Public Safety Committee chairman wants the automatic valve requirement to be effective July 1, 1995. The recommendation would cover all renovations costing more than $1,000.
“I’d like to see the ordinance prepared, if that’s possible,” said Braude, who expects the full council to vote on it June 14. “Maybe the Fire Department can also help determine those standards.”
The valves cost $250 each, but critics say the devices are plagued by false alarms and some did not go off during the Jan. 17 Northridge quake.
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