Library Smoke Alarms Unsafe; To Be Replaced-July 24, 1986

Morrill Memorial Library Smoke Alarms Deemed Unsafe, Prompting Emergency Replacement Directive

On July 24, 1986, it was revealed that Norwood’s Morrill Memorial Library faced a critical fire safety hazard after testing by Weymouth-based Atlas Alarm Corp. exposed that the facility’s 10 smoke detectors were entirely unsafe and failed to function during power outages. According to a June 11 letter from Atlas Vice President Paul M. Rich to Library Manager Carl Himmelsbach, the system operated on inadequate 12-to-18-volt electricity instead of the required 24 volts, rendering the detection network non-functional.

When the finance commission received a request for $1,834 to replace the faulty detectors, Commission Chairman Allan Howard voiced sharp skepticism and questioned whether similar substandard fire systems had been installed in other municipal buildings around the same time. Underscoring the urgency of the safety risk, Town Manager John Carroll intervened directly, instructing Carl Himmelsbach to replace the smoke alarms immediately without waiting for formal committee approval. During the same session, the commission reviewed ongoing municipal projects, questioning a $20,000 request for extra architectural fees submitted by KLQ of Norwood for the delayed $5 million Norwood High School renovation, with Allan Howard indicating the board was inclined to deny the overrun due to performance concerns.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger