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When may we expect the Boston Fire Department to start cracking down on fire pits?
By adamg on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 9:27pm
Flaming death on sale at the Hyde Park Shaw's.
On Friday night, a five-year-old girl suffered serious burns in the South End when some moron (sorry, some alleged moron) poured lighter fluid on the fire pit at which she was toasting marshmallows. In this story, at least, a Boston fire official seems a bit more concerned about the fact that the explosion happened with an illegal fire pit than the fact that somebody was putting an accelerant on an already lit fire (I was not the only one to notice the emphasis on the pit, rather than on the lighter fluid).
OK, so in Boston, fire pits are illegal, "even ones you can buy at the store," the story tells us.
This evening, the kidlet and I were down at the Shaw's in Hyde Park (which, last we checked, was still part of Boston), buying some stuff for a barbecue on our presumably legal Weber grill. When we got to the end of one aisle, we saw that not only does the store sell fire pits, it was selling them at a discount (at $49.99, a 50% markdown). Dear BFD, time for a little chat with local supermarkets?
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Comments
Roche Bros, as well.
Somewhere around 3 weeks ago, I saw Roche Bros. selling one outside on their sidewalk, with 4 chairs and a pit cover/table. I think it was in the $400 range. How much is the fine, I wonder?
$0. That's part of the
$0. That's part of the problem.
Why don't you ask the STATE,
Why don't you ask the STATE, not the BFD about the LEGAL items being sold LEGALLY but being used ILLEGALLY for outside burning. The only answer to the problem now is to drive around all night telling people to extinguish them. The Globe would love to write a story about that waste of resources. By the way, don't you think that what some idiot did was a criminal matter for the police. Don't blame the BFD for shitty STATE laws.
The new thing caused it!
Not the old stupid, the new thing!
WHy are they illegal? I live
WHy are they illegal?
I live in west roxbury and own one. I'm not getting rid of it, legal or illegal.
Confused
It would make sense to make open flame pits illegal...however, I was just thumbing and searching through the Boston Municipal Code and I'm not finding where it's illegal.
You can't set a bonfire/open fire in the street or on a wharf, nor can you run a brick kiln, but I don't see anything about fire pits.
Can anyone give me a code number for fire pits? It would seem like any way you cut it, you'd probably also kill Weber grills, like the Smokey Joe.
I was just going to wonder
I was just going to wonder if the BFD was going to explain the legitimate difference between a charcoal grill and a fire pit.
This makes me want to go out and get a fire pit, quite frankly.
Go to mass.gov. Search CMR
Go to mass.gov. Search CMR 527, section 10. It prohibits outside burning without a permit unless it's used for cooking. A permit for outside burning is easy to get in some towns that allow burning brush in the Spring. The Boston fire prevention code prohibits open burning without a permit from the EPA. This ban applies to all large cities in the US. In short, it's legal to own a pit in Boston, it's only illegal when it gets used for it's intended purpose.
One bonfires is legal for each town once a year (also 527).
In the city code too
16-6.1 Permits Required.
No person shall make a bonfire or other fire in the open air on any wharf or street within the City, except in accordance with a permit from the Fire Commissioner.
(CBC 1975 Ord. T14 § 275)
But your own property?
That says wharf or street - was this fire made in the street? If this law bans fire pits, then it looks like the BBQ is out too!
Fire pits on private property
I'm pretty sure there's a state law too. I built a fire pit into a deck a few years ago, and I couldn't put an iron grate on it, because you can't have a fire pit. (What I had was a stone planter that I happened to store burnt wood in..)
Apropos of nothing, it's also illegal in Massachusetts to have a gas log lighter for your wood-burning fireplace, since they have no electronic ignition and thus no way to stop you from accidentally leaving the gas on.
Charcoal grills are legal
Charcoal grills are legal because they are for cooking CMR 527, section 10).
So...
It's illegal to put wood in my charcoal grill and illegal to put charcoal in my fire pit? What if I use my pit for cooking over a wooden flame - does that make it legal? Isn't charcoal just partially burned wood anyway?
Sounds a bit nanny-statish to me for those living in the more bucolic areas of boston - like Rozzie.
(full disclosure - I live downtown and grills etc are illegal within I think 50 feet of the apartments - which by definition makes it illegal everywhere since 50 feet in any direction is a public road - this IS a good thing - even if I'm responsible I don't want some imbecile grilling in the parking lot and having an ember set the roof on fire!)
Charcoal is not illegal in
Charcoal is not illegal in anything as long as it's used for cooking, period. I think people are starting to see the problem with enforcemant of poor lawmaking.
By the way, charcoal grills have caused many fires in Boston through the years. People drink when they grill, leave it unattended, it blows over and the s**t hits the fan.
I know
Happened at my friend's condo - some rocket scientist decided to grill on the roof - took the food inside and while downstairs the grill blew over and caught the buildign on fire - fortunately - not much damage.
Street fires
That just means you can't light a fire in the middle of the street (or wharf). That doesn't apply to my back porch (stupid, in and of its own right anyways) or backyard.
Plausible deniability
I guess you ought to keep a stick with a marshmallow on it handy.
I'm thinking part of the reason they're different is
it's harder for, say, a little kid to lean over a tall gas grill and have her dress catch on fire as happened to this poor girl. I wouldn't buy one of these things.
But would an enforced regulation against them have helped in this case? Not really, because as many have pointed out, the wizard who sprayed accelerant on the fire is at fault here.
You just happen to have a copy of the municipal code?
On a Sunday night?
I'm impressed.
Searchable and everything
Current through 12-23-08
I don't see it
I can't find anything about fire pits... pit bulls, yes... fire pits, no.
Good question
I already commented on this in the original post about the girl being burned, but I'd like to see them enforce this too, both for safety reasons and because those things pollute the air. You can buy them at any hardware store.
Specifically, my neighbor with his roaring fire and torches (which are also banned according to the news report I saw) pollutes my house and yard to the point where the smoke makes people choke.
tough about the kid
horrifying bit about the kid in southie.
here in milton, i tried the fire pit thing. but everywhere i'd sit, the smoke would blow right up in my face...
Ban Fire!
Grubs and raw meat were good enough for our Australopithicine ancestors - it's good enough for me! Ever since those damn Homo Erectus, the world has gone to hell in a handbasket.
Flaming pits
Flaming pits don't burn people, people burn people.
But yeah, let's ban everything.
If you think that you will
If you think that you will get burnt dont buy one. If not shut the hell up. Typical needs government to be a babysitter attitude.
Ruin it for everyone, why don't you.
Take away their fire pits, rope swings, rollerskates, whatever. Idiots will always find a way to hurt themselves and others. Let 'em. I'll keep my own fire pit, thanks, legal or illegal.
Just skip the flaming pits..
anyone for a Flaming Moe?
Shhhh!
Watch out, they'll make cough syrup illegal next!
firepits
Excuse me, but how dare you. I actually know the girl and her family. What happened was a horrible tragedy. You were not there, and should keep your thoughtless comments to yourself. This family is going through every parent's nightmare. Please keep your need to feel superior to yourself.
So who did it?
So who was the one to use the accelerant on a lit fire? How about you save your righteous indignation for that schmuck?
Home Depot and Lowe's has them as well
Use mine for all-wood cooking sometimes. Haven't had any public employees stop by yet.
Annoyed
Trust me, the BFD is wasting their time responding to these calls. I have had them come put out a fire twice in the last 3 weeks -- once there wasn't even a fire going, just a few embers.
Fire Marshall came by to threaten us with arson today. I am pretty sure arson requires at least damage to property.
Anyway, the thing that annoys me is there are at least 5 other houses visible from my yard who regularly burn fires, including one owned by a cop, and yet none of them ever get hassled.
Now let's think about this
You say that you're the only one being hassled by BFD, out of at least 5 other houses who it sounds like do the same thing you do.
So it sounds to me you're not talking about a general problem here, but one that is somehow specific to you.
How it is specific to you is unclear, but that's a question to answer before you can conclude that the BFD are wasting their time by responding to calls.
Signs?
Does the poster have a Menino sign in the front yard by any chance? :-)
In this case...
...I suspect that stereotypical Brighton students are a big factor.
But try experimenting with campaign signs, duuude. It can't hurt!