BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- The Bellingham Fire Department wants to require all boathouses in the city to make major fire safety upgrades after March's deadly boathouse fire.

A new draft law would require all boathouses to have smoke and heat vents, and boathouse structures larger than 2500 square feet would also be required to have automatic sprinkler systems.

Assistant Fire Chief Roger Christiansen the law would apply to new and existing boathouses.



He says a sprinkler system would probably have contained the boathouse fire that killed two people and destroyed 12 boats at Squalicum Harbor.

The law would also ban smoking in existing boat-houses.

The Port of Bellingham Commission today will consider voting to send a letter to the city in support of the draft law.

The Fire Department hopes to formally introduce an ordinance to the city council in September.