CONWAY — State Rep. Anita Burroughs says it’s “unacceptable” that Red Jacket Mountain View Resort guests last month were made to jump or swing themselves from balcony to balcony to escape a massive fire that destroyed an unsprinkled wing of the building.
The fire broke out Saturday, April 30. The cause has not been determined. Various news outlets, including the Sun, have reported that guests were seen jumping from the balconies or swinging themselves to a lower balcony to escape. Since the fire, authorities have said that sprinklers were not required in the 1971-built south wing due to its age and design.
kAmqFCC@F89D Ws\q2CE=6EEX H9@ D:ED @? E96 w@FD6 r@>>6C46 r@>>:EE66 D2:5 :E’D 2 “>:C24=6” ?@ @?6 H2D <:==65]k^Am
kAm“xE ;FDE D@F?565 =:<6 2 4=@D6 42== 7@C 2 =@E @7 A6@A=6[” D2:5 qFCC@F89D] “x E9:?< E92E’D F?2446AE23=6 :? E6C>D @7 D2J:?8[ ‘~9[ H6==[ 9@A6 :E 5@6D?’E 92AA6? 282:?]’”k^Am
kAm~G6C E96 4@FCD6 @7 E96 ?6IE 76H >@?E9D[ qFCC@F89D H2?ED E@ 2DD6>3=6 2 3:A2CE:D2? 8C@FA @7 =2H>2<6CD E@ 4C27E =68:D=2E:@? 2:>65 2E >2<:?8 DFC6 E92E E9:D EJA6 @7 5:D2DE6C 5@6D?’E 92AA6? 282:?] }@E @?=J 3642FD6 @7 E96 A@E6?E:2= 7@C =@DD @7 =:76 3FE 3642FD6 }6H w2>AD9:C6 92D 2 DEC@?8 E@FC:D> :?5FDECJ] $96 D2:5 =68:D=2E:@? 4@F=5 36 7:=65 @G6C E96 DF>>6C]k^Am
kAm“x H2?E E@ E2=< E@ 2== E96 A2CE:6D H9@ H@F=5 36 :?G@=G65 :?4=F5:?8 3FD:?6DD6D[ 7:C6 56A2CE>6?ED ]]] E@ 86E E96:C A6CDA64E:G6 367@C6 >@G:?8 7@CH2C5[” D2:5 qFCC@F89D] “~?6 @7 E96 E9:?8D x’> 4FC:@FD 23@FE[ 2D A2CE @7 E9:D 6IA=@C2E:@?[ :D E@ 7:?5 @FE H96E96C 9@E6=D @7 2 46CE2:? D:K6 D9@F=5 C6BF:C6 DAC:?<=6CD[ 6G6? E9@F89 E96J’G6 366? 8C2?572E96C65 @FE @7 E92E C6BF:C6>6?E]”k^Am
kAmr@?H2J ':==286 u:C6 r9:67 $E6G6 $@=@>@?[ H9@ :D 2=D@ E96 E@H? 6>6C86?4J >2?286>6?E 5:C64E@C[ D2:5 H96? E96 #65 y24<6E H2D 3F:=E[ 56D:8?6CD 925 E96 @AE:@? @7 6:E96C :?DE2==:?8 DAC:?<=6CD @C 92G:?8 6249 F?:E 92G6 2 5@@C E@ E96 @FE5@@CD 6:E96C 2E 8C@F?5 =6G6= @C @? 2 32=4@?J]k^Am
kAm“%92E H2D 4@?D:56C65 2 DF77:4:6?E 6I:E] }@H252JD[ 2 3F:=5:?8 @7 E92E D:K6 2?5 ?2EFC6 H@F=5 567:?:E6=J 36 DAC:?<=65[” $@=@>@? D2:5[ 255:?8 @=56C 3F:=5:?8D 92G6 E@ 36 3C@F89E FA E@ 4@56 27E6C C6?@G2E:@? H@C< :D 5@?6]k^Am
kAmp C6A@CE6C C6D62C4965 “8C2?572E96C:?8” 2?5 7@F?5 2? 2CE:4=6 HC:EE6? 3J 2EE@C?6J r] r9C:DE:?6 u:==>@C6 :? a__g E:E=65 “qFE[ xE’D vC2?572E96C65P $:I r@>>@? |JE9D 23@FE }@?4@?7@C>:?8 &D6D]”k^Am
kAm“+@?:?8 @C5:?2?46D 2?5 =2?5 FD6 C68F=2E:@?D 2C6 ?@E DFAA@D65 E@ 36 C6EC@24E:G6j E96J @C5:?2C:=J 2AA=J @?=J E@ ?6H @C 2=E6C65 FD6D @7 =2?5[” D2:5 u:==>@C6] “w@H6G6C[ E9:D AC@E64E:@? :D ?@E 23D@=FE6]”k^Am
kAmu:==>@C6 C676CD E@ 2 42D6 42==65 u:D496C G] }w $E2E6 qF:=5:?8 r@56 #6G:6H q@2C5[ H9:49 H2D 564:565 :? a__e]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 :D ?@ DF49 E9:?8 2D 2? :?96C6?E @C G6DE65 C:89E E@ :>A6C:= E96 962=E9 @C :>A2:C E96 D276EJ @7 E96 4@>>F?:EJ[” E96 4@FCE DE2E65]k^Am
kAm“xE H@F=5 36 2 D25 4@>>6?E2CJ @? E96 =2H :7 >F?:4:A2=:E:6D H6C6 A@H6C=6DD E@ 4@>A6= E96 25@AE:@? @7 E96 36DE >6E9@5D 7@C AC@E64E:?8 =:76 :? DF49 42D6D D:>A=J 3642FD6 E96 4@?76DD65=J 72F=EJ >6E9@5 :? FD6 H2D E96 >6E9@5 AC@G:565 3J =2H 2E E96 E:>6 @7 :ED 4@?DECF4E:@?]”k^Am
kAmu:==>@C6[ :? 96C 2CE:4=6 DE2E6D[ “tG6? 2 3F:=5:?8 H9:49 :D 8C2?572E96C65 F?56C =@42= K@?:?8 >2J 92G6 E@ 36 >@5:7:65 H:E9:? 2 ‘C62D@?23=6 E:>6’ 2D 56E6C>:?65 3J E96 $E2E6 u:C6 |2CD92= E@ 3C:?8 :E :?E@ 4@>A=:2?46 H:E9 E96 7:C6 4@56]”k^Am
kAm%96 $F? 2D<65 }@CE9 r@?H2J u:C6 r9:67 !2E !C6646 :7 A6C92AD 96 4@F=5 2D< E96 7:C6 >2CD92= E@ C6G:6H @=56C 9@E6=D 2?5 D66 :7 96 42? 8:G6 E9@D6 H9@ 5@?’E 4@>A=J H:E9 >@56C? 4@56 2 5625=:?6]k^Am
kAm“x 5@?’E E9:?< x 42? 5@ E92E =682==J[” D2:5 !C6646[ H9@ 6?4@FC2865 E96 $F? E@ 4@?E24E u:C6 |2CD92= $62? %@@>6J]k^Am
kAm!C6646 2=D@ D2:5 E96 u:D496C 42D6 925 E@ 5@ H:E9 3F:=5:?8 4@56[ ?@E 7:C6 4@56] w@H6G6C[ u:==>@C6’D 2CE:4=6 D2:5 :E 925 E@ 5@ H:E9 7:C6 4@56]k^Am
kAm%96 $F?’D 2EE6>AED E@ C6249 %@@>6J E9C@F89 !F3=:4 x?7@C>2E:@? ~77:46C p>J |4{2F89=:? H6C6 F?DF446DD7F=]k^Am
kAm%96 $F? 2D<65 $@=@>@? 23@FE u:==>@C6’D 2CE:4=6] w6 D2:5 8C2?572E96C:?8 :D?’E 2 =682= E6C>] w6 D2:5 E96 =2H 56D4C:36D 3F:=5:?8D 2D 36:?8 “?6H” @C “6I:DE:?8]”k^Am
kAmw6 D2:5 ?6H 3F:=5:?8D 2C6 E9@D6 E92E 2C6 3F:=E H96? E96 4FCC6?E 4@56 :D :? A=246] tI:DE:?8 3F:=5:?8D H6C6 3F:=E 367@C6 E96 4FCC6?E 4@56 E@@< 67764E]k^Am
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 u:C6 |2CD92=’D ~77:46[ “pFE@>2E:4 DAC:?<=6C DJDE6>D :? ?6H 9@E6=D 3642>6 2 7:C6 4@56 C6BF:C6>6?E :? `hh` 7@C 3F:=5:?8D E92E 2C6 ?@E 9:89\C:D6D]”k^Am
kAm$@=@>@? 2=D@ D2:5 E@H?D 4@F=5 :>A=6>6?E DEC:4E6C CF=6D E92? E96 DE2E6 4@56[ 3FE 6I:DE:?8 3F:=5:?8D H@F=5 AC@323=J 36 8C2?572E96C65 7C@> E@H? CF=6D[ E@@]k^Am
kAm$@=@>@? 2=D@ D2:5 E96 #65 y24<6E’D 68C6DD 2?5 7:C6 3C62<D 36EH66? C@@>D 2==@H65 @44FA2?ED E@ 86E @FE]k^Am
kAm“x H@F=5 A@:?E @FE E92E 2=E9@F89 E96 7:C6 H2D BF:E6 =2C86 2?5 E96 =@DD :D 76=E 3J 3@E9 E96 9@E6= 2?5 E96 4@>>F?:EJ[ E96D6 4@56D 2C6 56D:8?65 E@ AC@E64E =:76 2?5 E96J[ :? 724E[ 5:5 E92E[” D2:5 $@=@>@?] “tG6? H:E9 9@H 72DE E92E 7:C6 C2?[ 6G6CJ@?6 8@E @FE]”k^Am
kAm~? %F6D52J[ E96 $F? 2D<65 D6G6C2= BF6DE:@?D 23@FE E96 7:C6] r92:C>2? s2G:5 (62E96CD BF6DE:@?65 E96 C6A@CE6C’D DE2E6>6?E E92E A6@A=6 H6C6 ;F>A:?8 7C@> 32=4@?:6D]k^Am
kAm“$@ E96C6 H6C6 2 4@FA=6 @7 A6@A=6 @? E96 32=4@?J E92E EC2?D76CC65 @G6C E@ 2?@E96C @?6 3FE x 5@?’E 36=:6G6 E96C6’D 2?J3@5J E92E ;F>A65 7C@> E96 32=4@?J[” D2:5 (62E96CD[ 255:?8 E96C6’D 2 “3:8 5:776C6?46” 36EH66? ;F>A:?8 2?5 “EC2?D76CC:?8” 7C@> @?6 32=4@?J E@ 2?@E96C]k^Am
kAm%96 C6A@CE6C C6A=:65[ :? 2?J 42D6 A6C92AD :E’D E:>6 E96C6’D 2 9:896C DE2?52C5 H96? :E 4@>6D E@ 7:C6 68C6DD]k^Am
kAm%96 $F? 2=D@ DF886DE65 E@ D6=64E>6? A6C92AD E96J @C r@?H2J’D 7:C6 AC64:?4ED 4@F=5 2D< E96 7:C6 >2CD92= E@ C6G:6H @=5 3F:=5:?8D :? r@?H2J 2?5 8:G6 E9@D6 E92E 2C6?’E DAC:?<=65 @C FA E@ 4@56 2 C62D@?23=6 E:>6 E@ >@56C?:K6]k^Am
kAm$6=64E>2? |2CJ r2C6J $62G6J D2:5 D96 H2D “?@E BF2=:7:65” E@ 5@ E92E 3FE E96 AC64:?4E 7:C6 56A2CE>6?ED H6C6 42A23=6 @7 255C6DD:?8 E9@D6 BF6DE:@?D 2?5 (62E96CD 28C665 H:E9 $62G6J]k^Am
kAm“{:<6 |2CJ D2:5[ 36EH66? E96 49:67D 2?5 E96 7:C6 >2CD92=’D @77:46[ x 36=:6G6 :? E96:C 6IA6CE:D6[” D2:5 (62E96CD]k^Am
(1) comment
When staying at a lodging facility that doesn't have a sprinkler system, I always request a first floor room.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.