Greensboro To Inspect Apartments Near Unit Ravaged By Fatal Fire

The City of Greensboro may soon inspect apartments near the one that burnt down on Summit Ave., killing five children.

The reason: tenants nearby want to be sure their own homes are safe and up to code.

City officials, activists and residents voiced their concerns about the fire at a public meeting this week. As of Thursday, the Greensboro Fire Department has not released its final report on the fatal blaze.

City Code Compliance Manager Beth Benton says tenants are signing a petition to have city inspectors examine each of the neighboring units. They'll look for things like cleanliness, sanitation, and smoke detectors, among other things.

Benton says going forward, the city wants to do more outreach, including to low-income and immigrant communities.

“Making sure that tenants and especially people with language barriers that are new to America have a voice, and have the opportunity to understand how things are supposed to work in their home, and what the process is and what their rights are as a tenant,” she says.

Benton says any tenants who believe their concerns are not being heard by landlords can file an anonymous complaint with the city.