Cal. Civ. Code § 26
Installation of automatic equipment on order of marshal
Operative Text
Section 26. Any basement of a mercantile establishment, any building used in whole or in part for the business of woodworking, or for the business of manufacturing or working upon wooden, basket, rattan or cane goods or articles, or tow, shavings, excelsior, oakum, rope, twine, string, thread, bagging, paper, paper stock, cardboard, rags, cotton or linen, or cotton or linen garments or goods, or rubber, feathers, paint, grease, soap, oil, varnish, petroleum, gasoline, kerosene, benzine, naphtha or other inflammable fluids or compounds, and any building used in whole or in part for the business of keeping or storing any such goods or articles except in such small quantities as are usual for domestic use or for use in connection with and as incident to some business other than such keeping or storing, shall, upon the order of the marshal, be equipped with automatic sprinklers; provided, that no such order shall apply to any building unless four or more persons live or are usually employed therein above the second floor.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 148 § 26 establishes a category of buildings—including mercantile establishment basements, woodworking facilities, and buildings used to manufacture or store a wide range of flammable or combustible materials such as paper, rags, oils, and similar goods—that may be required to install automatic sprinkler systems. The requirement is triggered by a formal order from the state fire marshal, not automatically by operation of the statute alone. Critically, no such order can apply to a building unless four or more people live or are regularly employed there above the second floor.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Owners and managers of properties that fall within the commercial and industrial uses described in Mass. Gen. Laws c. 148 § 26—such as woodworking shops, paper or textile operations, or facilities storing flammable fluids in commercial quantities—should be aware that the state fire marshal holds authority to order automatic sprinkler installation in those buildings. Compliant operators typically maintain awareness of whether their building meets the occupancy threshold (four or more persons living or regularly employed above the second floor) that makes a sprinkler order applicable. Keeping records of building use, occupancy levels, and any correspondence with the fire marshal's office is a practice generally associated with orderly compliance under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 148 § 26 is relevant to people who live or work above the second floor of buildings engaged in certain commercial or industrial activities involving flammable or combustible materials, because the occupancy of four or more such persons is what makes a fire marshal's sprinkler order legally applicable. Tenants or workers in such buildings who have concerns about fire safety equipment may have grounds to inquire whether a sprinkler order has been issued or whether the building qualifies under this provision. Tenant-rights organizations, local fire departments, or the state fire marshal's office can be resources for understanding how this provision applies to a particular building type.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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