§ 22-272. Grave public emergency; emergency repairs.

Notwithstanding other requirements of this article, when in the opinion of the mayor, after reviewing a report from the building inspector and the fire prevention chief, there shall be actual and immediate danger of failure or collapse of a building or structure or portion of a building or structure so as to endanger life or property, the building inspector may purchase such material and employ such labor and cause the necessary work to be done or render the building or structure, or portion, temporarily safe, or to demolish the structure if temporary measures are, in the opinion of the inspector, inadequate, whether the procedure prescribed in this article has been instituted or not. In such cases, the building inspector with the consent of the mayor may order the occupants to vacate the unsafe building or structure immediately. He may, when necessary for the public safety, temporarily close sidewalks, streets, buildings, structures and places adjacent to such buildings or structures and prohibit them from being used. Recovery of costs incurred by the building inspector for this emergency work shall be as provided in this article. After the immediate danger has been remedied by having the building or structure made temporarily safe, no further action shall be taken by the building inspector except in accordance with other sections of this article.

(Code 1961, § 5-48)