Documents released regarding the the Pulse shooting show an exit door was found inoperable in an inspection weeks before the shooting that killed 49.

However, Orlando Fire Department says it was not the door itself that was inoperable or blocked, and that Pulse had no pattern of exit problems in its inspection reports.

  • Site features police, fire department texts and emails
  • Some information features chilling accounts of that night
  • Pulse had more than enough exits

Among the documents released onto a new city website Tuesday was a cache of inspection reports for the club. One is an occupancy activity report listing actions and findings during all inspections.

The latest, dated May 21, 2016, said "Doors are Inoperable."

A more in-depth report for the same day shows a box checked off that says "Exit Door or Hardware Inoperable." It also lists that a fire extinguisher was not hanging.

Attorney Gus Benitez told the Associated Press Tuesday that none of the six exits at the club was blocked during the inspection, however. An inspector found a light bulb in an exit sign that needed to be replaced (which would count as hardware).

A spokesperson for Orlando Fire Department released this statement Tuesday:

"We have no indication that exits were blocked. OFD conducts regular 'exit checks' to ensure businesses have the proper life safety measures in place.  After a review of fire records, there is no pattern of exits being blocked inside Pulse, this includes the most recent exit check conducted on May 21, 2016.

"The Fire Engineer who conducted the exit check reports there were zero life safety issues and two minor infractions.     

  • A fire extinguisher on the ground instead of hanging on the wall, which was immediately corrected.
  • One exit sign was in need of battery for back-up power
  • No obstructed exits
  • No exits doors locked
  • No obstructed aisles
  • No improper locks on exit doors

"If a life safety issue is identified, corrective action is immediately taken."

The agency also said that while they don't know exactly how many people were inside Pulse at the time of the attack, the club had an occupancy rate of 300 people. City code would have required only two exits, but the club had about twice that.

Documents: Calls from club goers flooded 911

The city of Orlando released these documents after numerous media requests. The city built a site specifically for them.

“The majority of records related to the Pulse tragedy have been requested by multiple people, organizations or agencies, and to expedite distribution of these requests, those releasable records will be posted at cityoforlando.net/pulserecords. As additional records related to the Pulse tragedy are released, they will be posted on the website,” Cassandra Anne Lafser, press secretary to Mayor Buddy Dyer, stated in an email to the media.

Lafser did state that some of the records won’t be released citing Florida law, either due to protecting the privacy of the victims or because of “the integrity of the investigation.”

She did not say how much of the information will be kept off of the website.

So far the website includes code enforcement and inspection documents for the nightclubs, emails sent to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Police Chief John Mina.

Among the documents is also a live narrative of calls that came in and went out over the course of the attack and hostage situation.

The in-progress incident report shows callers inside the club flooding dispatchers with details about where the shooter may be, where they are and the extent of their injuries.

Around 2:40 a.m. dispatch first logs that the shooter, Omar Mateen, says he has pledged to the Islamic State. It was a statement callers said they heard the shooter make several times over the next 10 minutes -- that he was a terrorist and there were explosives both in the parking lot and strapped to him.

Around 3:22 a.m., a supervisor says that Dr. Phillips Hospital has an unknown number of shooting victims. Shortly after Orlando Regional Medical Center was put on lockdown and first-responders started sending victims to Florida Hospital South.

At 4:29, a call came in that the suspect was going to put "attach four vests to people in the club in 15 mins."

At 5:07 a.m., a caller claimed they heard four explosions.

At 5:14 a.m., shot were fired in the north bathroom.

At 5:15 a.m. the call came in that the subject was down.

All the while police dog units were sweeping the area around Pulse. At 5:59 a.m., UCF K-9 Units were sent to check on Southern Nights, a gay bar off Bumby Street. At 6 a.m., a K-9 unit from Greater Orlando Aviation Authority was dispatched to Parliment House on Orange Blossom Trail.

Texts and emails

In addition to records, police, fire and government officials’ texts and emails are included.

Orlando Police Chief John Mina received an email from the address MPLUS@cityoforlando.net at 2:18 a.m., which stated in all caps, “Per Lt. Smith full call out ref active shooter at Pulse nightclub 1912 S Orange Ave, 2 shooters with assault rifles and multiple victims, meet at Einstein Bagels at Orange/Kaley.”

One of the first texts that Mina received was at 2:51 a.m., asking him, “Are you aware of what’s going on?"

Ninth Circuit Judge Bob LeBlanc texted Mina at 6:33 a.m., telling the police chief to reach out to him for any warrants he needed signed.

During the night, Orlando Fire Marshal Tammy Hughes was texted a question about how many exits the Pulse nightclub has.

“Six exits,” she answered and when she was asked if that was an acceptable number, she replied, “Yes, because they had enough exit capacity to accommodate twice (their) occupant load.”

The site also features a letter from FBI special agent in charge Paul Wysopal about his concern about requests for records and information about the terror shooting.

He wanted to make sure that information was protected and not publicly disclosed until any threats and risks associated with the information “expired.”

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.