HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Eclipse Apartments resident speaks out concerning numerous, random false fire alarms
Residents at a recently-built downtown apartment complex express frustration with the fire alarm system that seems to be going off at random. For Paul Quarles and other tenants who live at Eclipse Apartments in Huntsville, enough is enough. They said for months, the fire alarm has been going off randomly. Sometimes in the middle of the day and sometimes at 2 a.m.
Residents’ Experience
“What happens when there’s an actual fire? There’s going to be a body count,” he said. Quarles said it even happened the day he moved in. “Every time the fire alarm goes off, usually a group of us will gather at some point randomly, usually not the same groups, and we’ll swap notes about our experiences, it’s more or less the same,” he said.
Staff Response and Accountability
“None of the staff live here, so there doesn’t seem to be any urgency to actually address the problem. The fire alarms go off randomly and none of us believe the reasons that they’re providing to us.” Quarles provided WAFF 48 News with several emails of the statements the apartment complex sent out following those instances.
Fire Department Response
WAFF 48 reached out to Huntsville Fire and Rescue to see just how often they had to respond to fire alarm calls out there. According to a spokesperson, over the last six months, they’ve responded to those calls at least nine times. In a statement provided by Eclipse’s management team, they apologized for these incidents.
Apology Statement
“We apologize to our residents for any inconvenience caused by issues with the fire alarm system. Our staff and vendors believe that we have identified issues with the current system and have ordered equipment that should resolve the issue while making sure the alarm system serves its important purpose of protecting life and property.” – Management, Eclipse Apartments
Resident’s Decision to Leave
For Quarles, it’s too little too late. He plans to terminate his lease and go elsewhere. “I’m thankful I have the resources to do that. Not everyone living here has that option. You’ve got a lot of college students and stuff like that. If nothing else, I want someone to hold these people accountable for it,” he said.
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Conclusion
Residents at Eclipse Apartments in Huntsville are expressing their frustration with the random false fire alarms that have been occurring for months. The lack of urgency in addressing the issue from the management has led to concerns about safety in the event of a real emergency. As one resident plans to leave due to the continuous disruptions, it highlights the impact these alarms have on individuals living in the complex.