Residents rage over faulty fire system in Chapelizod apartments

Residents of Tristan Square Apartments in Chapelizod have expressed their frustration “completely unacceptable problems” with a faulty fire alarm system in the complex.

For two years, tenants have been dealing with a fire alarm sporadically blaring in each apartment, often multiple times a day.

Residents told The Echo of the increased frustration and upset it has caused, particularly to children who live in the complex, as it is unknown whether it is another false alarm or a real fire.

One Tristan Square resident, Gina, noted the timeline of events, which began only a few days after tenants moved in, saying:

“I moved in on the Friday, and the following Tuesday was the first time the alarm went off. None of us knew anything about it, and at 6 o’clock in the morning, was when we met our neighbors. The alarm went off and everybody was outside.”

“It’s been a continuous thing for two years, but it was not as frequent as it has been lately. There might have been a break where, for example, it didn’t go off for two weeks, and then it would go off at six in the morning.

“I have a 12-year-old daughter, and she is quite sensitive to sound. The only place where the alarm doesn’t sound is in the bathroom. So, if it happens during night, I jump up out of bed and run in and get her into the bathroom.”

She went on to say that it has become less common for people to leave their apartment when the alarm sounds, as they assume it is a false alarm as opposed to a real fire.

Gina also feels reluctant to ring the fire brigade when she hears the alarm, as she is wary of wasting time and resources due to the fact that it has always been a false alarm.

Another resident also expressed the same concern, saying:

“If residents are repeatedly hearing alarms that turn out to be false, there is a very real risk that people may eventually become desensitised to them and not react appropriately in the event of a genuine fire.”

The Echo was also informed that when the alarm company was contacted following a false alarm, a staff member detailed instructions on how to reset the alarm system.

A member of Dublin Fire Brigade witnessed this phone interaction and informed the staff member to never relay information to residents that relates to tampering with alarm systems.

Residents were informed by Abbey Property, the management company overlooking Tristan Square, to contact them directly as opposed to contacting the alarm company when the alarm does ring, but residents have reported a lack of action on their behalf during out-of-office hours.

For the past two years, residents have been calling for action from Tuath Housing and Abbey Property to permanently fix the issue to ensure the alarms will not continue to blare spuriously.

“I am requesting that the fire alarm system is thoroughly inspected by a qualified professional to identify the actual cause of these repeated alarms, rather than the issue simply being temporarily dealt with each time it happens.”

Councillor Daithí Doolan highlighted the need for Tuath Housing to act swiftly to put a stop to this ongoing issue.

“Tuath housing needs to sort out the fire alarms absolutely comprehensively to make sure that it’s fully functioning, and also that the residents can have faith in the fire alarm system.”

A spokesperson from Tuath Housing told The Echo:

“The safety and wellbeing of residents is Tuath Housing’s highest priority. We are aware of recent improper activations of the fire alarm system in certain common areas at Tristan Square and are engaging with the property management company on the matter.

“We are also liaising with residents to ensure they are aware of the appropriate procedures and points of contact should a fire alarm be activated.

“Our understanding is that these activations are a recent issue, and we are continuing to work with the relevant parties to address them.”

Abbey Property has also been contacted and The Echo is awaiting response.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme