The fatal fire at the Marco Polo Condominium drew international attention to the longstanding issue of how best to protect Honolulu residents living in high-rises without fire sprinklers.
There are 358 residential high-rise condominium properties, as well as hundreds of other residential structures over 75 feet tall that do not have fire sprinkler systems, according to the Honolulu Fire Department. Any high-rise built in Honolulu before 1974 was not required to retrofit for fire sprinklers.
In the wake of a tragedy that took three lives, displaced dozens and caused more $100 million in damage, it is our responsibility to come together to develop common sense solutions.