March 31, 2017
Inspections by Toronto Fire Services at two multi-unit residential properties (382 Dovercourt Rd. and 394 Dovercourt Rd.) have resulted in owners Rakesh Gupta and Swarash Gupta being charged with numerous Ontario Fire Code violations and convicted in Provincial Offences Court.
Rakesh Gupta was fined $80,000 and Swarash Gupta was fined $16,250. In addition, the Justice of the Peace noted that Rakesh Gupta would be incarcerated for 30 days if the property is not brought into compliance within three months.
The court heard that a Toronto Fire Services inspector who attended the two properties in 2016 noted several violations of the Ontario Fire Code, which included:
• inadequate fire separations throughout the buildings, specifically involving corridors, dwelling units and exit stairwells • fire-rated doors on dwelling units failing to close and latch as needed to meet separation requirements • wall finishes such as wood-veneer panelling or brick-pattern fibreboard present in stairwells and in corridors • floor assemblies in the boilerroom not fire separated at 382 Dovercourt Rd. At 394 Dovercourt Rd., areas of the floor assemblies on the first floor were not protected with fire separations, exposing wood joists.
Violations of the Ontario Fire Code pose a serious risk to building occupants and responding firefighters. The penalties for violations run up to $50,000 and/or a year in jail for individuals and up to $100,000 for a corporation.
Toronto Fire Services will continue to work to reduce risk through fire prevention and enforcement directed at owners who fail to meet the Ontario Fire Code. Fire Services is committed to ensuring that appropriate measures are taken by property owners to achieve fire safety through compliance with the Ontario Fire Code and the Fire Protection and Prevention Act.
This news release is also available on the City's website: http://bit.ly/2nSwJuL
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