The fire marshal that Donald Trump criticized for capping attendance at his Colorado Springs event on Friday responded later to a local television station.
Fire marshal Brett Lacey told 11 News the problem was that organizers handed out too many tickets.
“There’s an old adage that when a fire marshal walks into a room, milk curdles. So because we’re always looking out for public safety and trying to make certain venues go off successfully and safely sometimes there are people that aren’t very happy with some of the rules and regulations we’re required to enforce. But it doesn’t bother me at all,” he told the TV station.
Criticizing the fire marshal on Friday, Trump said he didn’t know what he was doing and was “probably a Democrat.”
Lacey was recently honored by the city as “Civilian of the Year” for his role in helping the wounded at a 2015 mass shooting at a local Planned Parenthood.
Also on Saturday, the Colorado Springs Fire Department confirmed that the reason Trump’s event started late was because he got stuck in a hotel elevator and had to be rescued by Colorado Springs firefighters.
The fire department said in a statement that Trump was trapped inside an elevator at The Mining Exchange Hotel with about 10 other people. Fire officials said Monday those inside were trapped for no more than 15 minutes.
Firefighters opened the top elevator hatch and lowered a ladder to get everyone out of the elevator.
Update 5:32 p.m. on Aug. 2, 2016: Because of a reporter’s error, the story incorrectly stated how long Donald Trump was trapped in an elevator. Colorado Springs fire officials say he was trapped no more than 15 minutes.
