EDITORIAL: Proposed ordinance may help preventfires such as the one that killed Stephen Balint
Two events that occurred on May 12 may help Manville become a safer community in the coming months.
Although not directly related, the move to introduce an ordinance allowing the borough to recoup from landlords money spent supporting evicted tenants and the fire that claimed the life of former borough tax collector Stephen Balint point the way toward aggressive borough enforcement of building codes in apartments and rentals.
The fire was caused by overloaded extension cords, according to Manville Fire Official Barry Van Horn, something that regulations and inspectors can’t necessarily prevent.
But the borough can enforce standards that require rentals in Manville to comply with safety codes in their electrical wiring, and that make certain landlords are not allowing too many people to live in one unit, overburdening the structure.
However, it is important to note, current state law puts a burden on a municipality that wants to enforce codes, especially when enforcing the codes in rental units: taxpayers can be required to pay for the housing costs of tenants evicted due to building codes.
This puts officials in a predicament: if they enforce to the letter of the law, they may incur some pretty steep costs for the borough, and if they don’t, they may allow the kinds of situations that can lead to deadly fires.
We’re not suggesting Manville officials are weighing their duties in such terms, but it is a reality they do live with.
If the ordinance proposed last week is enacted, officials like Mr. Van Horn may be able to take stronger steps to prevent fires in Manville’s aging housing units. The ordinance would allow the borough to recover costs associated with evicting tenants of unsafe buildings, helping eliminate economic considerations from a safety issue.
With the majority of Manville’s homes built between the 1920s and 1950s, many have not been upgraded with new wiring required to safely handle modern appliances.
That’s one of the reasons dangerous house fires are occurring with increasing frequency in Manville, and why the borough needs to take action.

