A new batch of inspection reports shows ongoing fire code problems at State Farm Stadium and what's being done to fix violations before the stadium hosts next month's Super Bowl.
Before fans arrive for a game or event at the stadium, inspectors from the Arizona Fire Marshal's Office tour the facility to ensure it is in compliance with state codes for fire and life safety.
ABC15's initial investigation in September looked at 190 inspections over a five-year period, finding the stadium failed 87 inspections, which is a 46% failure rate. Some failed inspections had 20 or more violations, although even one violation can result in a failure.
Back then, Andy Gorchov, the stadium's general manager, told ABC15 that his workers would be more proactive in correcting potential fire violations prior to inspection. He also said any trouble alerts on the fire alarm system would be repaired in a more timely fashion.
When asked if there would be improved scores on the inspections in the coming months, Gorchov said, "that would be my hope and expectation."
Last week, ABC15 obtained state fire inspection reports for August through December 2022. In this batch, State Farm Stadium failed 19 of 27 inspections.
While the 70% failure rate is higher than the five-year average, the new reports noted many violations were fixed either on the spot or within days of the visit from deputy fire marshals.
"Before we really wasn't [sic] closing the loop on that," said state Fire Marshal Cassie Peters. "When we see a decline in violations, there's something we all applaud because that's what we're after."
This fall, the stadium also hired its own fire/life safety specialist who works with state fire inspectors during all stadium events to oversee the process from the stadium's side.
Violations in the most recent stack of inspections included obstructed doors and emergency exit pathways that blocked access to electrical panels and non-compliant fire suppression systems.
"They're minor in nature," Peters said. "If it's something significant, then we address it. We're not going to walk away from that."
The 27 new reports included at least one "immanent hazard" violation, which the state requires "corrections within 48 hours." The report, dated August 21, 2022, indicated there were multiple trouble alarms displayed on the stadium's fire alarm panel, which is "the brain center of the overall fire safety system," according to Peters.
The stadium had repeated alarm system troubles. In 2021, the alarm system was tagged as non-compliant, and state inspection reports noted the red tags for more than a year.
When Gorchov sat down with ABC15 in September, he showed us a third-party inspection certificate from August 16, 2022, confirming the alarm system was inspected and is in compliance with fire safety regulations.
"The system is not broken; the system works perfectly," Gorchov said.
The ABC15 Investigators now know the alarm's compliance certificate was issued just five days before the imminent threat violation. In addition, less serious alarm troubles were documented in reports throughout the fall. Peters offered an explanation.
"You can come out and service it one day, and then three days later, some other little sensor or something goes haywire and you get a trouble in the system," Peters said. "Regardless, it's still a violation, so that means that it has to be serviced."
Alarm system malfunctions could slow the detection of a fire or other hazard and delay evacuation in an emergency. The ABC15 Investigators reached out to fire safety experts to better understand the safety needs of large stadiums.
"When there's an emergency, bad things happen really quick," said Butch Browning, executive director of the National Association of State Fire Marshals. "An arc in an electrical socket that produces maybe a small fire or small amount of smoke can cause a tremendous panic when you have people in buildings that have to get out."
State Farm Stadium's fire alarm system needed servicing again this month. The alarm panel was one of the nearly 50 fire code violations detected on December 30, during the pre-Fiesta Bowl inspection. A corrected version of the inspection report was not yet available to show what had been fixed.
"We know what codes and standards do saving lives and saving property, but ultimately, it's the responsibility of the building owner - the building operator - to maintain safety," Browning said. "The point of those inspections are to come in and have a second set of eyes."
There will be millions of sets of eyes watching what happens inside State Farm Stadium for Super Bowl LVII on February 12.
Stadium managers declined an interview about the latest batch of inspection reports, but a spokesperson issued the following statement:
Safety is the No. 1 priority at State Farm Stadium. The stadium’s fire safety systems are fully operational. In partnership with local public safety and law enforcement agencies, the stadium’s comprehensive fire safety inspection program ensures an ongoing risk assessment process to identify any potential safety issues and to ensure that they are addressed in a timely manner. There will be a significant fire safety presence on-site at the Super Bowl, as there is for every football game and other major stadium events to ensure a safe environment for all in attendance.
Super Bowl fire/life safety matters at State Farm Stadium do not directly involve the state fire marshal. Instead, a multi-jurisdictional group, led by the Glendale Fire Department, takes over. Glendale issued this statement Monday:
Our Fire Prevention Team will bring the same level of expertise, diligence, and safety to game day, just as we do every day with every event in the City of Glendale. Keeping the citizens, visitors, and the vendors safe is our top priority. For us, game day is no different than any other day. Our Fire Prevention team will perform inspections and be onsite to ensure the highest level of service and safety.
