CALGARY – A local development company will pay $32,200 for not having smoke detectors in a southwest townhouse.
W.R.E. Development (Calgary) Ltd. pleaded guilty Tuesday to four charges under the Safety Codes Act for violations of the Alberta Fire Code.
The Calgary Fire Department responded to a fire at a townhouse complex at 4915 35 Avenue S.W. on Oct. 30, 2014.
The tenants were in bed at the time of the fire; four people suffered from smoke inhalation and one person suffered minor burns. There were no smoke alarms in their unit, and a subsequent investigation found a second unit also without smoke alarms. The homes were rental properties, which is why the charges were laid.
“All renters have a right to live in a safe home, protected under the Fire Code,” said Calgary Fire Marshal Ed Kujat in a release. “Owners are legally accountable to understand and meet their obligations, as outlined in the Fire Code.
“If a rental property does not meet the standards of the Alberta Fire Code, it must not be rented.”
Kujat also pointed out that most fatal fires occur at night, which makes it even more critical that there is a working smoke alarm on every level of a home. He suggested placing alarms in a hallway near bedrooms to help wake you in case of a fire.
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