JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Jackson has already begun addressing multiple fire code violations at Thalia Mara Hall, per a report obtained by WLBT.
On Wednesday, the city submitted its plan to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, a little less than two weeks after inspectors found 22 violations of the International Fire Code at the 2,000-seat auditorium.
The plan was due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Had the city not responded, Thalia Mara would have been “red-tagged,” or shut down to the general public.
“We look forward to working with the State Fire Marshal’s Office and we are happy to submit our plan,” said Jackson Director of Communications Melisssa Faith Payne.
At a press conference on Monday, Deputy Fire Chief Elliott Holmes said the last time the Jackson Fire Department inspected the facility was back in 2022. He said at the time just one violation was discovered.
“We try to get to each building throughout the city on an annual basis, but sometimes that cannot be done,” he said. “And being that we knew we [were] behind with Thalia Mara Hall, what we [were] planning on doing was an inspection as soon as they got through with the construction and with the mold issue.”
According to the plan, Jackson has already begun addressing issues found by the Fire Marshal, including moving chairs that were blocking exits in the main seating area and near the stage office.
The city also had site visits scheduled with consultants to provide estimates on addressing emergency lighting and signage issues and to recharge/certify expired fire extinguishers.
State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney ordered an assessment of the hall on September 9, the same day his office received a complaint of “life safety issues” at the facility.
Inspectors found 22 violations of the fire code. Among them, extension cords were being used in place of permanent wiring, multiple junction boxes were open, and items were being stored too close to ceiling sprinkler heads.
The inspection came more than a month after Thalia Mara was shut down by the city due to mold growth and the lack of air conditioning. Findings were made public about a week after the manager there told WLBT the city had neglected the building for years.
A copy of the city’s plan is shown below.
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