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In the wake of the tragic house fire that killed a UC Berkeley student and her parents, the Fire Department and campus delegates are trying to get students and residents to take responsibility and learn fire safety. 

Berkeley Fire Chief Reginald Garcia, UC Berkeley Assistant Vice Chancellor Harry LeGrande and Campus Information Officer Marie Felde talked to reporters Tuesday about fire safety. 

“I think tenants should take more responsibility,” said Garcia. “Most landlords are responsible and install smoke detectors, but if they don’t, you should buy one and bill the landlord.” 

The fire that killed student Azalea Jusay and her parents, Francisco and Florita Jusay early Sunday morning at 2610 Martin Luther King Jr. Way was “preventable and tragic,” Garcia said. 

The owner of the house, Manuel Reburiano of Daly City, may be in violation of city and fire codes for not installing smoke detectors and having un-openable windows. 

Investigators have found no evidence of a smoke detector, and it was reported by the fire’s sole survivor, Michelle Plesa, that the window in Azalea But Garcia says new renters should check for smoke detectors and test them for audibility, familiarize themselves with their environment and plan an escape route, and make sure windows will open as soon as they move in. 

Garcia, Felde and LeGrande wanted to focus on those who rent single-family homes, and hoped to open up the fire-safety education process. 

“Because of the high demand, a lot of people don’t feel like they can ask for much,” Felde said. “We want to get the message out that: ‘You don’t have to live in a unsafe place.’” 

LeGrande said that he plans to encourage landlords that post rentals with Cal Rentals to be familiar with the fire code and to keep the homes they rent in compliance. 

He added that the University has plans to incorporate fire safety into workshops preparing students for the move off campus. 

Garcia said that it’s imperative that people learn fire safety, and said that the Fire Department’s website contains valuable information and links. 

He also said that there are a series of classes called Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) to prepare people for emergencies. 

Garcia said that the leading causes of residential fires were heating appliances, electrical appliances and kitchen fires. He warned of overloading outlets, putting combustibles near heating sources and using candles. 

“Candles are the leading cause of fires in dormitories,” he said. “We recommend that you don’t burn them.” 

He also said that, though the fire code doesn’t call for it, that every house should have a fire extinguisher. Apartments are required to have one fire extinguisher every 75 feet, he said. 

“Fire extinguishers are good for five to seven years and are under $20,” Garcia said. 

Garcia said that the fire code also calls for one openable window in a room. 

“The code calls for windows should be openable without tools or much physical strength,” he said. “A child or a disabled person should be able to easily open it.” 

He added that fixed window bars on windows are against the fire code, and anyone with fixed bars on their windows should call the Fire Department.