New Glasgow’s Fire Inspector, in consultation with the Nova Scotia Fire Marshall’s office, has issued an order to force residents to vacate two apartment buildings on James Street and Marsh Street. The Fire Inspector says the reason residents are being ordered to leave is due to immediate fire safety concerns.
The apartment building on James Street had two units while the Marsh Street apartments had seven.
A release from the Town’s Director of Fire, Inspection and Emergency Services and New Glasgow’s Fire Chief say fire safety concerns were identified in an inspection, had not been corrected, and have deteriorated since the initial inspection.
Fire inspectors found serious deficiencies in the apartments during a check on May 31st of last year. At that time, the New Glasgow’s Fire Inspector placed an Order to Take Action on the apartments that had identified fire safety issues. Under the order, fire safety items were to be fixed at the owner’s expense. Tenants were allowed to continue to live in the apartments under strict conditions.
The release states the fire safety items previously identified by the fire inspector were not rectified, leading to the immediate order to vacate the buildings.
Community groups, including the province’s Community Services Department, Person Directed Planning Pilot Program, Viola’s Place Society and volunteers were on site to assist tenants that were displaced and provided emergency lodging
