Fire Danger Lurks at Capitol, Report Says

The U.S. Capitol and five House office buildings are firetraps that subject visitors, members of Congress and employees to an “undue risk of loss of life and property,” House Inspector General John Lainhart IV concluded in a scathing report. Lainhart found a long list of deficiencies, including a recalled brand of fire sprinkler. Other problems included areas with no sprinklers, inaudible fire alarms and inadequate escape routes. Capitol architect Alan Hantman contended “there is no legal requirement” to meet current codes, and insisted, “It is disingenuous to characterize all existing fire protection systems in the House . . . as ‘deficient,’ unless they are being compared with . . . a recently completed building.”