By Daniel Kitts
The owner of an apartment complex that caught fire twice in the past seven months is expected to be charged with breaking the Ontario fire code, Ottawa fire department officials say.
William Robert Cuming of Kanata, owner of the Gainsborough at 285-289 Metcalfe St., was informed at a meeting on March 25 that he would be charged, says Charles O’Brien, division chief of the Ottawa fire prevention bureau.
On March 12, part of the complex caught on fire around 10:30 p.m. None of the residents knew anything was wrong until someone from across the street noticed the flames and started banging on doors.
A subsequent inspection of the premises found the complex was missing interconnected hallway smoke detectors, an alarm system, and doors that can contain a fire for 20 minutes, says inspector David Port. These measures are required for apartment buildings such as the Gainsborough under Ontario fire regulations instituted in 1992.
Two weeks ago, Cuming said he and the city agreed to a schedule to make the necessary changes at the Gainsborough and that he still had time to make the required renovations.
O’Brien disagrees: “I felt after reviewing the file charges were warranted.”
The maximum penalty for an infraction of the Ontario fire code is a fine of no more than $25,000 and/or a jail term of no more than one year.
O’Brien will not say how many charges Cuming might face. But he does say Cuming is still expected to complete the required renovations within 60 days.