278 ARTICLE 48.

engaged in the work of extinguishing fires in any town or county of this
State, whether incorporated or not, exclusive of Baltimore City, are hereby
severally authorized and empowered to inspect all buildings, structures
or other places in their respective city, town or county, excepting, how-
ever, the interior of an private dwelling, where any combustible material,
including waste paper, rags, shavings, waste, leather, rubber, crates, boxes,
barrels, rubbish or other combustible material that is or may become dan-
gerous as a fire menace to such building or buildings, structures or other
places, has been allowed to accumulate, or where such board or members
thereof, chief, assistants, or other officer aforesaid, has reason to believe
that such material of a combustible nature has accumulated or is liable to
be accumulated.

If such Board or Chief of the Fire Department, or Chief, Captain or
Lieutenant of a Volunteer Fire Company, as designated above, after any
inspection made under authority of this sub-title, shall in its or his discre-
tion deem that any such accumulation of material of a combustible nature
increases the danger of fire to the premises where such accumulation has
been permitted, or to the property adjacent thereto, such Board or Chief
of the Fire Department, or officer of a Volunteer Company as aforesaid,
shall give notice in writing to the occupant or occupants, or one of them,
of the premises where such accumulation has been permitted, to remove
or cause to be removed from such premises such material of a combustible
nature within forty-eight hours after receipt by him or her of such notice.
In case such material of such a combustible nature shall not be removed
within forty-eight hours after notice as aforesaid, such Board or Chief
of the Fire Department, or other officer as herein specified, may cause the
same to be removed from such premises, and thereupon cause notice in
writing of the cost and expenses of such removal to be given to such
occupant or occupants, or one of them, and also certify the amount there-
of to the City Treasurer, Town Treasurer or County Treasurer of the
city, town or county and in case such costs and expenses shall not be paid
to said treasurer within thirty days after such notice, such city, town or
county may recover such costs and expenses in an action on the case
against such occupant or occupants.
Sec art. 48A, sec. 56.

1929, ch. 260, sec. 145.

145. Any person refusing to allow or hindering or obstructing such
inspection shall be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than one hun-
dred dollars or imprisoned for not exceeding thirty days for each such
offense.

1929, ch. 260, sec. 146.

146. Any person who shall refuse or neglect to remove such material
of a combustible nature at the expiration of the forty-eight hours' notice
provided in Section 144 hereof shall be fined not less than five dollars nor
more than fifty dollars for each such offense.