Balmoral averts shutdown

Balmoral Park has averted a possible shutdown after removing potentially dangerous door latches from buildings that could have trapped persons in a fire.



Officials at the track were told Wednesday by the state fire marshal's office that if the latches, which locked doors from the outside on its worker dormitory and barns, weren't removed by Thursday then the attorney general's office would be contacted about closing the track. The track has removed the latches and will remain open.



"Our inspector went through each unit, took pictures and was pretty thorough. He assured us they were all off," a fire marshal spokesperson told the Chicago Sun-Times.



Balmoral Park was hit with more than 300 state fire code violations last November and has been given until this summer to fix all the problems. Currently two firefighters are posted in the grandstand during live racing.

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