Moreno Valley
Mall: Fire & Life
Safety Hazards
Update to City Council
By Jesse Park, Fire Chief’s liaison to
the City of Moreno Valley
Cooperative Fire Protection
City
Adopts Fire Code
County
Adopts Fire Code
State
Creates Fire Code
Property Owners Responsibility
NFPA 25 (Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems): Section 4.1 mandates that the property owner is responsible for the overall ITM program, ensuring activities are completed at specified frequencies.
NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code): This code requires building owners to strictly adhere to operational practices, including non-negotiable regular maintenance checks on fire alarms and sprinkler systems.
NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code): Specifies that the owner is responsible for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm systems.
Partial Temporary Mall Closure, 2023
• unpermitted high piled high hazard storage
• fire protection systems disabled
• doors welded shut
• exits blocked
• emergency lighting removed
• unrated electrical wiring
• Full details and additional items in recorded in actual violations • City litigation is still unresolved
Past Pattern of Violations
pattern of removing fire
protection systems
performing unpermitted
construction
Storage of inappropriate
materials
Timeline of current closure began April 3rd,
2024
ROUTINE ANNUAL FOR
THEIR SPRINKLERS,
ALARMS, GENERATORS,
EXIT AND EMERGENCY
LIGHTING, AND SMOKE
CONTROL SYSTEMS.
MALL OWNER UNABLE
TO PRODUCE RECORDS
& MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS
FOUND
Maintenance Records
• A fire protection system contractor is a
specialized professional licensed to design, install,
repair, and maintain systems that detect, contain,
and suppress fires. While a property owner is legally
responsible for ensuring these systems work, they
typically hire these contractors to perform the
technical work required by law
Past practice
Inspection
Notice of Violation
Re-inspection
Updated notice or signature of completion
Meeting with the Mall owner
in person delivery of violations
5 Feb. 2026
Scheduled to meet again on February 19th,
2026
19 Feb. 2026
Follow up meeting at mall
February 19th, 2026
One of nine records submitted
mall staff admitted that the exit doors were broken, the alarm panel was in error, and the generators did not work.
Mall deemed UNSAFE for public occupancy
Ensuring cooperation
Fire Marshal Staff & Building and
Safety
Assisting the mall staff 24 hr. a
day to get violations corrected
Notice and Record Keeping
All inspection and violation
information is stored digitally
All notices are recorded
Moreno Valley Mall: Fire & Life Safety Hazards
NFPA 25 (Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems): Section 4.1 mandates that the property owner is responsible for the overall ITM program, ensuring activities are completed at specified frequencies.
NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code): This code requires building owners to strictly adhere to operational practices, including non-negotiable regular maintenance checks on fire alarms and sprinkler systems.
NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code): Specifies that the owner is responsible for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm systems.