Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Fire district raises alarm over Romex wiring, engineered trusses as Beecher considers 2021 code update
Summary
At the Sept. 8 Village Board meeting, the Beecher Fire District asked for a formal role in inspections and raised safety concerns about Romex wiring, lightweight engineered trusses and factory-built stair systems in recent Lennar homes as the board moves to adopt the 2021 building codes with local amendments.
Drew, a chief with the Beecher-area fire district, told the Village Board on Sept. 8 that firefighters and residents face added risk from construction methods he said appear in several new Lennar homes in the Hunters Chase East subdivision. Drew said packet photos show exposed Romex (nonmetallic sheathed cable) in wall bays, lightweight engineered floor and roof trusses, and preassembled engineered stair systems — and that some homes lacked visible inspection tags.
"These kill firefighters," Drew said, referring to the truss roofs used in the houses. He also said the district responded to two gas leaks during foundation excavation and that plan-review errors — including what he described as missed Romex and sprinkler-system items by the village's plan reviewer,…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
