Security Central CEO Says Firm ‘Not Responsible For Any Delay’ in Deadly Elder Facility Fire

Brett Springall states the monitoring firm completed its dispatch request to authorities 34 seconds after receiving alarm signal from retirement complex.

STATESVILLE, N.C. – Security Central, the company under contract to provide alarm monitoring services for the Marshall Square Retirement Complex in Evans, Ga., released statement today disputing news reports that authorities were not alerted to a deadly fire at the facility until two hours after it began on Tuesday (June 2).

The statement said the company was deeply saddened to learn of the fire that left one dead, two others injured and displaced roughly 90 individuals. The company also stated it was not responsible for any delay in dispatching emergency responders.

“We first received an alarm signal from the Marshall Square facility at 5:12:26 a.m EDT on the morning of June 2,” Security Central CEO Brett Springall said in the statement. “Thirty four seconds later, at 5:12:40 a.m., Security Central had completed its phone call to fire department authorities alerting them to dispatch personnel to the facility.”

Springall explained in the press release there are a number of separate companies involved in the transmission of any fire or smoke alarm signal, including the installer of the alarm equipment in the building, as well as the telecommunications company through whose lines the signal transmits. He said based on the limited information available at this time, it is unclear to Security Central whether any of those systems were involved in any transmission delay.

“Security Central did not install or maintain the detection, sprinkler, alarm panel equipment, or phone lines at the Marshall Square facility,” Springall said. “Our company has no control over those systems. Consistent with our agreement with the facility owner, our first involvement in any alarm transmission for this customer was when our computer system received the signal at our central station.”

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of those affected by this tragedy,” Springall continued.
“Security Central will cooperate with authorities in any way we can as they investigate the cause and conditions leading to the loss.”

Security Central is a division of Statesville, N.C.-based Lake Norman Security Patrol. The company operates in several states and has provided alarm services to residential and commercial markets for more than 50 years.

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