Owner of 'fire risk' boarding house fined

An Auckland boarding house owner has been fined $15,000 after his building was declared a fire danger to occupants.

Murphy McDade was also ordered to pay $1356 in prosecution costs and $130 in court costs when he was sentenced in the Auckland District Court this month

He was charged with breaching a notice to repair his building in Karangahape Road and allowing the dangerous state to continue for 10 months.

The Auckland City Council said after the hearing that fire safety officers had found an unstable deck which was a fire escape, an inadequate fire alarm and doors that prevented fast escape in an emergency.

The council said that during sentencing Judge Fred McElrea said the building was an accident waiting to happen and if there had been a fire people probably would have died.

Auckland City Council residential developments manager John Lawrence said the prosecution was a warning to others and an important reminder that improvement notices from the council should be taken seriously and adhered to immediately.

"I hope Mr McDade has learnt from his mistake. He left us no choice but to prosecute," he said.

- NZPA