# Sonic Drive-In Problems Might Spur Review of Other Local Eateries



## mark handler (Nov 9, 2014)

Sonic Drive-In Problems Might Spur Review of Other Local Eateries

Saturday, November 8, 2014 3:00 pm

By Josh Mitchell, Missourian Staff Writer

http://www.emissourian.com/local_news/business/sonic-drive-in-problems-might-spur-review-of-other-local/article_94b544af-d2ec-5dfd-9626-3630a439ac14.html

Following the discovery that fire suppression equipment at the Washington Sonic Drive-In was not working, the city building department is considering visiting other local restaurants to do walkthroughs.

“We want to stay on top of it,” said city of Washington Building Official Don Peters. “But with the limited amount of staff that we’ve got we’ve got to work it into the schedule too. We take it very seriously.”

Under city code, the fire suppression equipment is supposed to be inspected every six months, but records showed that it had not been inspected for five years, according to Peters.

The fire suppression equipment over the grills and fryers was not working, Peters said.

Now city officials will discuss visiting other local restaurants to check their systems, he said, adding that he does not think problems are widespread.

“I don’t think it’s an epidemic or anything like that,” Peters said. “I think the majority of our places in the city are well maintained. I think this one was just one of them that kind of slipped through the cracks.”

Other than problems with the fire suppression, the Washington Sonic also had numerous critical violations involving sanitation, such as rodent droppings, cockroaches and heavy amounts of grease, according to Tony Buel with the Franklin County Health Department.

The problems with Sonic started showing up about two years ago, Buel said, adding, “You can’t by law shut down a restaurant until they have at least three critical violations.”

Therefore a restaurant could be in “bad” shape but not to the point of having to be closed, Buel said.

It appeared the conditions at the Sonic in Washington got worse over time, he added.

Monday was the first time rodent droppings had been seen in the restaurant, but cockroaches had been seen “on several occasions” previously, Buel said.

The health department has two part-time inspectors and one full-time inspectors, and Buel said he feels as though that is enough inspectors. All the inspections will be done this year, he added. Every restaurant in the county is inspected at least once a year, he noted.

Reopens

The Washington Sonic reopened Wednesday at lunch after being shut down by the health department Monday morning.

Peters issued Sonic a new occupancy permit this week after the prior permit was terminated. The restaurant now meets the city’s minimum standards, he added.

Sonic area supervisor Joshua Greenwood provided The Missourian with a statement from the restaurant, which says, “Our first priority is to our guests and providing them with quality food in a clean, sanitary environment.

“Over the last two days we have cooperated with officials to correct issues that did not meet our standards. We have reinforced all training procedures with all of our staff to avoid a similar situation in the future. These issues, which were isolated to this location have been corrected and we look forward to welcoming our customers back.”

The problems were found during the health department’s normal inspection process not through a complaint, according to Buel.

The city does not do annual checks to ensure that area restaurants are keeping up to date on their fire suppression system inspections.

“It is the responsibility of the tenant or business owner to comply with those codes, and if there’s questions we can go by there and do spot checks,” Peters said. “But we don’t have the staff to go by and inspect every commercial building every year.”

The city will conduct an inspection if there is a change of ownership or occupant, a major renovation or if there is a complaint.

The Washington Sonic also had some electrical problems such as emergency and exit lighting not working, Peters said.


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## cda (Nov 9, 2014)

Guess the fire dept does not do inspections

So why when :::

""""""The problems were found during the health department’s normal inspection process not through a complaint, according to Buel.""""

The health dept cannot look at a tag and see when it was inspected last????

I know it takes 59 seconds, guess that cuts into the day

If out of date send a message to building or whoever.


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## cda (Nov 9, 2014)

I think even worse are the vent a hoods getting cleaned???


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## fireguy (Nov 9, 2014)

cda said:
			
		

> The health dept cannot look at a tag and see when it was inspected last????
> 
> I know it takes 59 seconds, guess that cuts into the day
> 
> ...


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## ICE (Nov 10, 2014)

fireguy said:
			
		

> That is the responsibility of the fire inspector, who usually is only trained to look for a tag and the dates.  *Fire suppression is a great business to be in* because most inspectors have no idea what to look for, or even care if the equipment is properly installed and maintained.


So why are you bitching about it?


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## cda (Nov 10, 2014)

fireguy said:
			
		

> cda said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Some of us do

Not all city's do annual fire marshal inspections

Even if the health inspector at least checks for a yearly inspection, that is better than nothing

I do annual fire inspections and our companies are licenced through the state .

It is hard to get the state to pull a licence and harder to shut one down

Would love to

Best thing is they put their name on the system and get sued when something goes wrong


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## cda (Nov 10, 2014)

"""""Looking at tags to determine if the life and safety equipment was properly serviced is beyond the training and the responsiblilty of the health inspector. That is the responsibility of the fire inspector, who usually is only trained to look for a tag and the dates. """

Who says a health inspector cannot be assigned to look at a tag???

The hoods are tagged here when they were cleaned last.

Both of these items can have things that cannot be seen unless a through inspection of the entire system is done.

No city inspector has the complete knowledge to assure either system is compliant


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## steveray (Nov 10, 2014)

"Peters issued Sonic a new occupancy permit this week after the prior permit was terminated."

What code did he issue the CO to? Or is this something different?


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## Pcinspector1 (Nov 13, 2014)

"Peters issued Sonic a new occupancy permit this week after the prior permit was terminated.

IBC Section 110.4 gives the building inspector authority to: In writing to suspend or revoke a CO if there is a violation of any ordinance or regulation or any of the provisions of this code! If sprinklers are required, they need to be in working order.

In writing, "Summons to Court", would that be in writing?

"Wonder if the grease trap was inspected and if it was, by whom?

pc1


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