The house fire Monday night on Sunrise Court is a tragedy for the students who lived there, but we hope it will call attention to the need for everybody to pay more attention to fire safety throughout the city.

When looking for a place to live, students need to take note of the condition of the house, where it is and how old it is. We don’t know the condition of the house on Sunrise Court, but many rental properties in the city have a reputation of glaring fire hazards that go ignored.

The city must do a better job of cracking down on bad landlords and unsafe property. Run-down houses with bad wiring, faulty smoke detectors or a lack of emergency exits need to be caught before something dangerous happens.

And landlords who refuse or drag their heels when it comes to fixing hazardous aspects of their property need to be dealt with quickly and firmly.

The city’s rental stock is aging and needs closer attention. It’s impossible to allow property to get by with minimal maintenance every year. More detailed inspections need to be done, and repairs need to be done more quickly - with stiffer penalties imposed when they’re not.

Regular residents and MSU students alike need safe places to live that are close to campus and downtown. People live in the city to have easy access to the university, local shops and restaurants and a quick commute to work.

But the responsibility should not be put on landlords and city officials alone. Students need to take care of their houses once they move in.

It’s very easy to leave any number of fire hazards in a position to cause an accident - leaving the stove on or a candle unattended can lead to massive damage.

This can apply to students living in dorms as well. Residence hall management makes a point of placing restrictions on candles and cooking equipment for a reason, as those buildings can catch fire just as easily.

City housing officials, tenants and landlords need to work together to ensure safe housing is available. Students need to do their part to keep property in good shape, but local landlords need to do their job as well - and if they don’t, the city needs to be there to step in.

This way, East Lansing can be assured of having safe rental property for years to come, and, we hope, avoid any more serious accidents.