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Speedway facing charges in spectacular St. B. blaze

A fireball rises over St. Boniface on Oct. 1, 2012.
A fireball rises over St. Boniface on Oct. 1, 2012. Global News

The Winnipeg fuel company that caught fire and exploded last year has been charged by the city with several safety and permit violations.

Speedway International, a race car fuel manufacturer, caught fire and blew up in spectacular fashion on October 1st, 2012. The blast sent a fireball and plume of smoke hundreds of feet in the air over St. Boniface, prompting evacuations in the east Winnipeg community.

No one was hurt.

In documents provided to CJOB Friday, the city confirmed a case against Speedway International and director Royce Rostecki is currently before the courts.

The company and Rostecki each face 8 charges as follows:

The Winnipeg Building By-Law 4555/87

–          Article 12.2: unlawfully permitting all or parts of the building or structures located on the premises to be in an unsafe condition

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–          Article 15.1.1: unlawfully occupying/using a building or a part thereof without first obtaining the required Building Occupancy Permit

–          Article 15.1.2.1(c): unlawfully changing the occupancy of the premises without first obtaining the required Building Occupancy Permit

The City of Winnipeg Fire Prevention By-Law, No. 150/2004

–          S. 19.2: failing to obtain consent of the Chief of the Fire Paramedic Service and a permit to install storage tanks containing flammable liquids

–          S. 3(1) [adopting s. 4.3.7. of Division B of the Manitoba Fire Code]: failing to provide secondary containment for a stationary rail car used as an above ground flammable liquid storage tank
–          S. 3(1) [adopting sentence 4.3.2.1.(2) of Division B of the Manitoba Fire Code]: failing to provide sufficient distance between a stationary rail car above ground storage tank and a building
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–          S. 3(1) [adopting Article 4.7.2.6. of Division B of the Manitoba Fire Code]:  failing to provide fencing for flammable liquid unloading facilities
–          S. 3(1) [adopting Clause 4.2.7.5(1)(a) and Sentence 4.3.13.4(1) of Division B of the Manitoba Fire Code]:  storing flammable liquids in excess of maximum quantities permitted

Rostecki has in the past insisted that all his permits were in order and all his safety precautions sound. None of the charges has been proven in court.

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