City Closes Chalfonte Summer Staff Quarters

CAPE MAY — The Cape May Fire Department closed an annex building of the Chalfonte Hotel, 301 Howard St. that housed summer workers Monday after paint was discovered being stored one floor below where workers slept.
A fire alarm sounded in the early morning hours of June 8. According to City Manager Bruce MacLeod, the fire department sent two trucks to the scene along with two police officers.
He said a burst pipe to a hot water heater triggered the alarm. MacLeod said firefighters observed other items that needed to be cleaned up and rectified.
MacLeod said one of the older annex buildings where staff slept appeared that it had garage bays at one time in the past. He said paint cans were being stored in that area.
MacLeod said paint cans needed to be removed from the annex building because summer staff members were housed on the floor above it.
MacLeod said paint cans were removed later in the day. He said the Chalfonte also needed to bring in an electrician following what may have been a lightning strike to the fire alarm system last week.
The alarm panel box was replaced but firefighters discovered while the system alerted the fire department Monday, there was no audible alarm for those on the premises.
MacLeod said the alarm system was triggered by the change in the air temperature from the leaking hot water.
“It looks like the issues of concern to the fire department are being resolved,” said MacLeod.
Code Enforcement Officer John Queenan also inspected the annex and found a need for lighting in the central hallway of the annex.
Summer staff workers were temporarily relocated and are expected to return to the annex building following repairs. The hotel was unaffected.