Fire department reports detail violations at pub that burned
Late last month, the Minneapolis Fire Department inspected a pub that burned down last week and found that it was missing fire extinguishers and exit signs.
The Minneapolis Arson Squad continues investigating the fire at McMahon's Pub and the apartments above the bar that killed six people last week. The reports show inspectors had just checked over a section of the building and reported several fire code violations.
Inspectors gave the bar two weeks to correct the violations and also asked the bar to have the fire alarm tested and provide documentation of the test. Fire officials say they hadn't yet followed up to see if the changes were made.
McMahon's owner has said the violations were corrected. A statement on the pub's Web site says the violations have been hyped and sensationalized.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
Fire department officials believe the fatal fire started on the second floor of the building, where several apartments were located. The six people who died were all in one of those apartments.
City officials say the upstairs was due for an inspection this summer. Since the apartments are part of a commercial building, the fire department handles inspections for them as well.
In the last three years, a renter in one of the apartments on the second floor had filed three complaints about conditions in the building. One complaint described a "old circuit breaker exposed with rat's nest of wiring."
However, the fire department said it had to close the complaints. Inspectors reported that they couldn't reach the renter to gain access to the apartment.
