A landlord in Edmonton will have to pay fines – $6,000 worth, for failure to comply with the Alberta Fire Code.
The rental property in question consists of seven residential suites located above a commercial unit.
“Our fire prevention officers found a number of serious problems with this property that put the lives of residents at risk,” said Ron Jeske, fire marshal. “While these sorts of violations are not common, it is an important reminder to landlords to make sure their properties comply with the fire code.”
Fire Prevention officers discovered the fire code violations during an inspection of the premises in the spring.
The landlord was fined $2,000 for each of these violations:
Windows in three of the suites failed to meet requirements for an emergency exit.
There were no smoke alarms in the suites or in common hallways.
The residence had only one emergency exit.
These fines did not concern the commercial spaces on the first floor of the property.
The landlord admitted guilt before the fines were imposed.
Last November, a Calgary landlord was fined more than $89,000 and sentenced to serve six months in jail after a fire broke out in his basement rental property, killing three people. In that case, the windows were found inadequate to provide tenants a means of escape, and the smoke alarm was not properly installed, both violations of the Alberta Fire Code.
Earlier, two Alberta tenants died in a house fire in an illegal apartment conversion with faulty wiring. That landlord was fined over $90,000.
According to Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, in the event of a fire, emergency exits can mean the difference between life and death and a working smoke alarm can improve the chances of escaping a fire unharmed by 70 per cent.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services works to prevent fires through fire code inspections and public education.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this post in not intended to be construed as legal advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual legal counsel or consulting your local, state, federal or provincial tenancy laws.
