NUECES COUNTY, Texas — During a routine inspection of the Nueces Courthouse, Corpus Christi Fire Department (CCFD) noticed the building did not have an automatic sprinkler system. Requirements mentioned in the 2021 International Fire Code state the property, located at 901 Leopard Street, is supposed to. CCFD implemented the 2021 International Fire Code in August 2023, which is when they initially sent a notice to county officials.
KRIS 6 Neighborhood News Reporter, Alexis Scott, sat down with Nueces County Judge Connie Scott on Friday. She told Scott her office did not receive the initial notice in 2023 and was unaware of the requirement for more than a year and a half.
"A letter had come to the courthouse. It wasn’t addressed to anyone, we’re not sure which department it got delivered to" Scott said. "I have no idea what happened to the letter, I never saw it myself," Scott said.
Scott mentioned during a separate annual inspection, Corpus Christi Fire asked for an update regarding implementation of the automatic sprinkler system. That is when Scott's office discovered they did not receive the initial notice. Following what Judge Scott called "miscommunication on both ends," the Fire Marshal's Office offered Nueces County an extension to submit a detailed compliance plan. The written compliance is due February 2026.
The 2021 International Fire Code that all U.S. fire departments, including CCFD, has adopted requires existing high-rise buildings without a previously approved fire sprinkler system, shall be equipped with an automatic sprinkler system, where any of the following conditions apply:
- The high-rise building has an occupied floor located more than 120 feet (36 576 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
- The high-rise building has occupied floors located more than 75 feet (22 860 mm) and not more than 120 feet (36 576 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access, and the building does not have at least two interior exit stairways complying with Section 1104.10 that are separated from the building interior by fire assemblies having afire-resistance rating of not less than 2 hours with opening protection in accordance with Table 716.1(2) of the International Building Code.
- The high-rise building has occupied floors located more than 57 feet (22 860 mm) and not more than 120 feet (36 576 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access, and the building does not have a fire alarm system that includes smoke detection in mechanical equipment, electrical, transformer, telephone equipment and similar rooms, corridors; elevator lobbies; and at doors penetrating interior exit stairway enclosures.
KRIS 6 News previously reported on other high-rise buildings, like Las Brisas on North Beach, receiving the same notice. Judge Scott ensured the Nueces County Courthouse has other fire protection to keep people safe.
“We definitely have fire protection or we would be shutting everything down immediately," Scott said. "We do understand that these rules have now changed since the building was built in the 1970s, and we have some implementation and things that we need to do to address these problems."
Scott was unable to speak with Nueces County Public Works Director, Juan Pimentel, in person. However, he issued a statement regarding the property's fire protection.
"The current 24 hour a day fire protection monitoring system provides visual, sound, public announcement and notifies County staff and the Corpus Christi Fire department."
Along with the one year compliance plan, the county has up to twelve years to begin and finish adding the automatic sprinkler system to the property.
However, the questions many are asking still remain. How much could adding the automatic sprinkler system costs and how will an already 'tight-budgeted' county py for it?
“Like everything else, we’re going to have to find the funds. How we do that, or if we have C.O.’s that we can use or if we have to go out and borrow the money, or whatever we have to do, we understand that we don’t have a choice," Scott added.
Nueces County Public Works is in the process of obtaining estimates from contracting companies to determine the price tag on a project like this.
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