Powder storage in an apartment - no way for a permit!

[boule]

Quick info for everyone living in an apartment

I just got the response from the Baltimore bomb squad guys - there is no legal way to store any kind of powder, be it smokeless or black - in any form of multifamily dwelling.

They are willing to go up to federal limits if you use an appoved magazine box or if you stay below the 10lb Maryland limit (5 black 5 smokeless) just with the shipping containers but they will not hand out any storage permits for apartment buildings, even though paragraph 11-105 a 3 would allow for it.

Reasoning goes that the fire code does allow for a total storage amount in a building and since propellants do not need to be registered you could end up with each and every occupant storing 10lbs in each apartment, causing fire to spread that much faster up or in the worst case blowing some firefighters up.

[GNLaFrance]

Of course household and automotive petroleum products don't help a fire spread. Neither do aerosol cans full of butane pose a hazard. It isn't like firefighters are trained to expect explosions while putting out a fire. Right?

Do they really think the the people in the six houses in the row I'm at the end of would ever store several pounds of powder all at the same time? I doubt it. IMO this is another excuse for a back-door restriction on firearms.

Btw, it's easier to get forgiveness than permission. I'm not about to call the EOD guys and ask them if it's okay to store any damned thing in my house. I'll rely on my own common sense for that.

[boule]

Do they really think the the people in the six houses in the row I'm at the end of would ever store several pounds of powder all at the same time? I doubt it. IMO this is another excuse for a back-door restriction on firearms.

Considering the point of row houses. My understanding after this telephone conversion is that each of them counts as a different dwelling as they have fireproof walls between them and only if you have several families living in a space not seperated by these does it count as multifamily dwelling.

As far as the combustion of 5lb of black powder goes. That will be nothing I want to be close to but the propane tank will go much more spectacular and that is not even on the list of prohibited items in the building code. So another case of panic that citizens might build bombs.

Oh, and for none-citizens does it not really pay to beg for forgiveness as a conviction will not just end up in a fine but will end up a fast trip to the country of origin or even a short stay in a caribbean resort run by the US-government.

[mpickering]

From what I understand, a permit is not required for quantities of five pounds or less (BP and smokeless each) so why are you even asking? Is there some special Baltimore County regulation? Otherwise, keep your quantities under the license/permit limit and let them know what's in there (along with all the other household chemicals that burn brightly) if your place catches on fire.

Or am I missing something in the law/regulations?

Matt

[boule]

Yeah, you are missing something. Maryland fire code prohibits storage of any type of propellant in a multi-family residence unless you get permission from the fire marshal.

In other words - if you have a house you may store 5lb BP&NC each, if you have an apartment you are screwed.

[Incoherent]

Something else to keep in mind, Baltimore county has their own fire marshalls office. Laws made by the State Fire marshalls office would be the minimum, Baltimore county may have adopted more.

I would give them a call, I have met 4 or 5 of the officers for work related issues and they have all been very helpful and made themselves available when nessesary.

http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/fire/index.html