AUGUSTA -- City councilors approved a new ordinance requiring the owners of all new and many existing commercial buildings to leave a key accessible for firefighters in case of emergencies.

The ordinance, approved in an 8-0 vote Monday, requires the owners of commercial buildings, as well as large apartment buildings, to install a "Knox Box," on their buildings.

The heavy-duty metal boxes are used to hold a key to the building. The Fire Department would have a master key for all of the boxes and in times of emergency, such as a fire, could open the box and use the key inside to enter the building if it is locked.

Fire Chief Roger Audette said the keys inside the boxes will allow firefighters and other emergency workers to be able to access buildings, even if the owners of the buildings can't be reached, without having to force their way into the building.

Audette said the fire department's key to the boxes could only be used by firefighters who would have to log in their identifications in order to use the key, to prevent potential abuse.