Director of 2 Toronto companies convicted of several fire code violations
Rauf Ahmad, also known as Rauf Arain, pleaded guilty to violations, fined, placed on probation
A man who directed two companies that offered fire protection services to buildings in Toronto has been convicted and fined $67,500 for several violations of the Ontario Fire Code.
Rauf Ahmad, also known as Rauf Arain, pleaded guilty in provincial offences court to the Ontario Fire Code violations on Dec. 7, 2018 and Jan. 31, 2019, the city said in a news release on Tuesday. The offences occurred at three addresses in Toronto.
Ahmad has been placed on probation for two years after his companies, Advanced Detection Technologies Corporation and York Fire Protection, failed to inspect, test and repair building fire safety systems at 1100 Birchmount Road and 77 and 99 Harbour Square.
Toronto Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop described the violations as a "serious breach of public fire safety and trust" because the companies did not ensure people who live at those buildings would be safe if a fire broke out.
"Fire and life safety systems are required in buildings to protect both the occupants and responding fire fighters. Companies and people that intentionally do not test and maintain these systems place both occupants and responding fire fighters at risk," Jessop said in the release.
Jessop said the fines and probation follow the "most labour intensive and technically involved fire safety inspection work" in Toronto's history.
Toronto Fire Services is monitoring all fire protection companies that are hire by owners to protect buildings across the city, he added.
In July, Beverly Romeo-Beehler, the city's auditor general, released a report saying that two companies, also run by Ahmad, that were tasked with providing essential life-safety services to some of Toronto's busiest buildings didn't do the work they claimed they did.
Under the conditions of his probation, Ahmad is prohibited for two years from operating any business offering fire protection installation, maintenance or consultation services in Ontario.
He is also prohibited for a year from directly or indirectly providing fire protection installation, maintenance or consultation services in Ontario, and after that time, he will only be allowed to do so under the supervision of a certified sprinkler and fire protection installer or registered fire alarm technician in good standing.
Advanced Detection Technologies Corporation, one of his companies, was fined $10,000 for violations at 1100 Birchmount Road.
