Apartment building passed inspection, had no sprinklers

Authorities are looking into whether the multi-use property that burst into flames and killed four adults and three children was in compliance with Lowells building codes, but documents show the structures owner had a clean record with the city.

State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan said he has asked Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan to join him in a thorough review of the dwellings code compliance history.

The building, owned by Sanjay Patel of DK Ram LLC, had a ground-floor liquor store and eight residential units, according to city records. One of the units located at 81-85 Branch St. was vacant, and 48 to 50 people lived in the building, according to authorities.

Patel was one of the first property owners to sign up for a building inspection in 2013 after Lowell passed a residential unit ordinance requiring sanitation inspections in 2012, according to authorities. The building passed the inspection in March 2013 with no negative comments, according to city documents.

Words cannot begin to express the sadness I feel for everyone affected by the devastating fire this morning, Patel said yesterday in a prepared statement. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who died and those who were injured. I have met with the authorities today and will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation into this tragedy.

Coan said there was not an automatic sprinkler system in the building. The building was allowed to skirt the sprinkler system rule because it was built in the late 1800s and did not have any major construction done, according to city authorities.

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Apartment building passed inspection, had no sprinklers