Family Dollar stores ordered shut down by Nye County officials for being out of compliance with state fire codes for rural firefighting have reopened.
Two of four Family Dollar stores in Pahrump that were ordered to close by county officials in July for failure to comply with a notice to maintain a 24-hour fire watch have reopened. The notice came after it was discovered that multiple 10,000-gallon water tanks—which are used for fire suppression—were empty, a violation of state codes.
A Nye County spokesman said a Family Dollar store at 3971 Homestead Road reopened on Friday after the water tanks were filled.
Another Family Dollar store at 2891 W. Charleston Park Ave. reopened Tuesday after receiving a compliance certificate from Nye County, the spokesman said. That location was ordered closed on July 18, according to a cease and desist notice from Pahrump Building and Safety.
The two stores received notice that they must maintain a 24-hour fire watch to remain open after it was discovered that the water tanks were not full at two Family Dollar locations in town. The locations were later closed due to noncompliance with this order on July 18.
Family Dollar was in violation of the 2012 International Fire Code. The retailer was also in violation of Nevada administrative Code 477, where standards from the National Fire Protection Association for water supplies for rural firefighting were adopted by the state fire marshal, according to Nye County.
The orders came after an incident at the Charleston Park Avenue store, where two 10,000-gallon water tanks were blown by heavy wind gusts into a residential neighborhood, according to witnesses.
Area resident Carolyn Holland said the tanks damaged an adjacent home to the Family Dollar on the northeast corner of South Barney Street and West Charleston Park Avenue. Visible damage to the home was apparent, witnesses said. A second property in the area was also affected, but no damage was reported there.
Rain and heavy wind were a factor at the time of the incident, witnesses said.
Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue and the Nye County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the scene following that incident.
Contact reporter Jeffrey Meehan at jmeehan@pvtimes.com