Moreno Valley Mall cleared to reopen after fixing fire code violations

The Moreno Valley Mall has been cleared for reopening after resolving a host of "unresolved, life-threatening" fire code violations. 

As part of the agreement with the city to reopen, the mall agreed to four terms: 

• Pay for "Fire Watch individuals" who will monitor and assist with opening and closing the mall's fire-rated doors
• To temporarily seal two fire-rated doors to prevent smoke and hot gases from passing through
• Replace or repair its emergency generators before their permit expires in 90 days
• To "indemnify the City for any loss, injury, death, or damage to persons or property during a fire or evacuation."

If the fire-rated doors are not properly prepared or permanently sealed by March 31, the city will close the mall once again. 

The Moreno Valley Mall closed roughly two weeks ago after inspectors found a lengthy list of fire code violations, mainly focusing on failure to provide documentation that the fire suppression system has been inspected, tested and maintained. This included the sprinklers, alarms, smoke control, emergency generators and emergency lighting. 

Additionally, inspectors found more than 21 issues throughout the mall, including "piles of storage" blocking emergency exit routes, inadequate fire doors, improperly secured electrical panel doors, exposed electrical junction boxes and dirty smoke detectors that either needed to be cleaned or replaced.  

A city staff report found that mall owners had a pattern of removing fire protection systems, performing unpermitted construction, and storing inappropriate materials, such as flammable hand sanitizer. The city said the mall has since corrected four out of the nine most critical violations, but it's also outlined hundreds of other violations. 

The nearly 130 businesses at the mall have struggled for the last two weeks, including Sheena McGill, who owns Beauty Suites Salon. 

"This is how I pay my bills," she said. "This is how I pay the rent here, and this is how I take care of my kids."

The closure has not only meant lost business for her but also for the 20 small business owners who rent spaces from her. 

"As of right now, I'm out $15,000-$18,000, I've lost in the last two weeks," McGill said. 

McGill said the problems needed to be fixed but felt that the city could have handled the closure differently. 

"The manner of how the mall was closed, without thinking of a strategic plan, so that so many small businesses would not be affected, that's where my frustration lies," McGill said. 

McGill said the mall plans to reopen on Thursday morning. She added that the owner is prorating rent for tenants because of the closure.