The owner of the Shamrock Hotel is now facing charges of violating the Alberta fire code after a blaze in August uncovered several deficiencies.
The charges come after the Calgary Fire Department completed an inspection of the fire safety systems in place at the hotel.
The charges against Louisa K. Ho, owner and sole director of the hotel, are as follows:
- four charges for fire separation doors in the stairwells not being closed;
- one charge for failing to maintain the fire separation doors; and
- one charge for failing to ensure the means of egress, including the fire escape, is maintained in good repair and free of obstructions.
Crews were called to the hotel at about 6:45 a.m. on August 28.
The fire was knocked down shortly after the large team of firefighters arrived, but damage in the hotel was extensive.
12 people inside the hotel at the time all managed to get out safely.
No one was seriously hurt in the blaze.
A few of the evacuees said they had trouble getting out of the building.
"I wanted to go out through the window. Small window, but I managed to make it out through it and went to the fire escape. The fire escape was chained up and locked. Firemen threw me a set of bolt cutters and I managed to cut the lock and get down," said Blair Tarsons.
Ho, if convicted of the violations, faces a maximum penalty of no more than $15,000 or imprisonment for no more than six months per charge.
She is scheduled to appear in court in Calgary on November 21.
