New rules could boost costs at 2019 Canfield Fair

By JUSTIN DENNIS

jdennis@vindy.com

CANFIELD

Canfield Fair operators say someone will end up paying more at next year’s fair if fire officials adopt new state fire codes that increase required space between food vendor trailers.

The state Department of Commerce and state fire marshals released a preliminary version of the codes in April, which require 10 feet of clear space between mobile food units. But fair operators sent out vendor contracts based on the old version of the codes, which required only 3 feet, in February - too late to prepare vendors before this year’s fair, said Don Hutchison, Cardinal Joint Fire District chief.

“We knew it was coming out, but we didn’t know when,” he said.

Vendors purchase fairgrounds space in 10-foot increments, said fair Director Beverly Fisher, meaning vendors will likely have to shell out for extra space to stay up to code.

Now fair operators wonder who will end up having to absorb those costs – the fair board, by decreasing available vendor space; or the vendors.

“They don’t have unlimited funds either,” Fisher said. “I don’t want them to have to pay more – that’s going to raise your cost for a sausage sandwich.

“I don’t want to see it impact the community because the vendor has to raise his cost to cover the cost of the unused space.”

The codes are still being reviewed and requirements on spacing or trailers that operate propane tanks could still change before they’re adopted, Hutchison said. Cardinal district and fair fire officials will start reviewing the new codes before they take effect Nov. 1, he said.

One provision in the new codes allows a local authority to approve shorter clear space distances in certain situations. Those variances could apply to vendor trailers that don’t use propane tanks, Hutchison said.

He said the distance changes are spurred by reports of severely damaging and sometimes fatal food truck fires originating from their propane tanks. An April accident in Henrico County, Va., sent three to the hospital, according to WRIC-TV.

Firefighters conducted more than 300 inspections over the course of two days during this year’s fair – the busiest since 2011, said Matt Rarick, Cardinal deputy fire chief, during a recent district trustees meeting. No fire, electrical or propane emergencies were reported.

“All in all, with that many vendors, it was a successful year for the fire department,” Hutchison said.