§ 231-9. Emergency measures.

A. 

Imminent danger. When in the opinion of the Housing Officer there is imminent danger of failure or collapse of a building or structure which endangers life, or when any structure or part of a structure has fallen and life is endangered by the occupation of the structure, or when there is actual or potential danger to the building occupants or those in the proximity of any structure because of explosives, explosive fumes or vapors or the presence of toxic fumes, gases or materials, or operation of defective or dangerous equipment, the Housing Officer is authorized and empowered to order and require the occupants to vacate the premises forthwith. The Housing Officer shall cause to be posted at each entrance to such structure a notice reading as follows: "This Structure is Unsafe and Its Occupancy Has Been Prohibited by the Housing Officer." It shall be unlawful for any person to enter such structure except for the purpose of securing the structure, making the requirement repairs, removing the hazardous condition or of demolishing the same.

B. 

Temporary safeguards. Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, whenever in the opinion of the Housing Officer there is imminent danger due to an unsafe condition, the Housing Officer shall order the necessary work to be done, including the boarding up of openings, to render such structure temporarily safe whether or not the legal procedure herein described has been instituted and shall cause such other action to be taken as the Housing Officer deems necessary to meet such emergency.

C. 

Closing streets. When necessary for public safety, the Housing Officer shall temporarily close structures and close or order the authority having jurisdiction to close sidewalks, streets, public ways and places adjacent to unsafe structures and prohibit the same from being utilized.

D. 

Emergency repairs. For the purposes of this section, the Housing Officer shall employ the necessary labor and materials to perform the required work as expeditiously as possible.

E. 

Costs of emergency repairs. Costs incurred in the performance of emergency work shall be paid by the Borough. The legal counsel of the Borough may institute appropriate action against the owner of the premises where the unsafe structure is or was located for the recovery of such costs and it shall be a lien upon such real estate.

F. 

Hearing. Any person ordered to take emergency measures shall comply with such order forthwith. Any affected person shall thereafter, upon petition directed to the Appeal Committee, be afforded a hearing as described in this chapter.