Violations of the North Carolina Fire Code were reported to Dollar General on March 1 regarding complaints received from a citizen that resulted in an investigation by the Southern Pines Fire Marshal, said Southern Pines Fire Department in a news release.
Several options were given to the management as to what actions were needed to keep the business open. The violations included blocked exits, blocked aisles, and general egress issues.
It is important for safety that the pathway from any point in a building to the exit discharge be kept clear so that occupants can exit the building at any time without obstructions in the egress path, said the news release.
The Southern Pines Fire Department has issued fines and orders to immediately abate these serious life safety issues. Dollar General, located at 1215 Old U.S. 1, has received multiple inspections in the past three years with a total of 42 violations. They are currently under several violations including failure to maintain exits.
At this time, the Southern Pines Fire Department has ordered that the building be closed to the public until all of the fire code issues have been corrected.
Photo via Dollar General/Contributed.
