The effort is led by Chabrant Way residents Diane Solomon, Betty Nichols, Stacy Scott and Mark Becker, who over a four-day period collected nearly 150 signatures. The neighbors went door to door on Chabrant Way, Kotenberg and Curtiss avenues and Iris Gardens Court. Solomon also solicited signatures from Willow Street businesses and Scott collected names at the Willow Glen Farmers Market.

These safety features will benefit the homes next to the apartment complex as well as protect the neighboring streets, residents said. The petition states that the March 23 fire could have easily spread to homes and businesses had the roof not been saturated with weeks of rain. Glen Willow also borders the U-shaped Chabrant Way, which fire trucks have difficulty navigating, Scott said, and the neighbors see that as another important reason for the apartments to be rebuilt with the proper safety features.

The building, however, is more than 40 years old and precedes current safety requirements. Because of its age the property owners may not be required to install sprinkler systems, said Peggy Rollis, San Jose code enforcement administrator.

Becker said it's a fire waiting to happen if the owners don't install these safety precautions.

However, the ultimate decision will be up to the San Jose fire marshal.

The impetus for the petition came on the morning of March 23, when Solomon woke to see the 84-unit Glen Willow Apartments burning outside of her home. She saw the flames engulf a third-floor apartment and spread to the rest of the building. The fire grew to be a six-alarm blaze.

Solomon and her neighbors opened their homes to some of the building's 243 displaced residents. The newly homeless told their Chabrant Way neighbors that there were no alarms, sprinklers or lit exit signs to help them escape.

"We were heartbroken," Scott said. "They had nothing left; they're starting completely over. We don't want to see that happen again."

The San Jose building department has completed the fire damage survey report. This is the first step in receiving permits to rebuild. The owner, listed in city records as the Shockowitz Family Limited Partnership, will have to go through a rigorous permit process, Rollis said.

Neighbors are also concerned about the asbestos in the building. While many areas of the building had levels well below the federal standard for continuous exposure, the area where the fire began had levels 51 percent higher than average. The fire department has sealed off access to that part of the building.

Residents, however, are taking issue with the fact that the high levels of asbestos are now exposed to the rest of the neighborhood. San Jose Fire Department Capt. Allison Cabral said the neighbors are only at risk if the asbestos is disturbed, which could happen if someone manually dislodged the chemical from the ceiling and walls.

With so much damage, residents see this as the perfect opportunity to bring the building into compliance with the city's safety requirements. The neighbors hope the fire department will consider the community at large when making its final decision about sprinkles and fire alarm systems.

"They have a golden opportunity to make it a healthy, happy place," Becker said. "We don't want to be left out in the dark."