A Kingston landlord has been fined $30,000 after pleading guilty to several violations of Ontario's Fire Protection and Prevention Act stemming from a 2023 house fire at 895 Montreal Street that claimed the lives of two people.
Court hearing and charges
Prithvipal Dadiala appeared in provincial offences court on Sept. 4, more than three years after the blaze. Court heard that eight people were inside the building when the fire spread from a kitchen cabinet and moved throughout the home. Two occupants, Bonnie Demille, 35, and Adam Crowley, 34, died as a result of the blaze.
Police concluded the fire was not criminal in nature, but Dadiala faced nine provincial charges under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act. Six of those charges were withdrawn last August when he pleaded guilty to the remaining three counts.
- Not having doors with the proper fire protection rating
- Not installing a carbon monoxide alarm
- Failing to provide a fire extinguisher
The city had sought a lower financial penalty and additional sanctions, asking for $15,000 in fines and 30 days of jail time, according to court reporting. The judge ultimately imposed a fine of $30,000.
Family reaction and community impact
Outside court, one of the victims' relatives said the sentence offered little solace. Alma Clark, mother of Bonnie Demille, said the outcome felt inadequate for the loss her family endured.
"I feel this guy got away with murder. He gets to see his kid every night. We don't get to see Bonnie every night. I just don't think it's fair."
The fire, which started in a kitchen cabinet and spread through the second storey while multiple people were in the home, highlighted concerns about building safety and the enforcement of fire-safety measures in rental properties. The deaths and the subsequent court case have revived conversation in Kingston about landlord responsibilities and tenant safety, particularly in older housing stock and multi-occupant dwellings.
Case outcomes and legal details
Prosecutors and the city’s legal representatives previously pursued nine provincial counts; after a guilty plea to three counts, six were dropped. The three convictions relate to specific lapses in fire protection equipment and passive fire safety measures required under provincial rules.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | 895 Montreal Street, Kingston |
| Victims | Bonnie Demille, 35; Adam Crowley, 34 |
| People inside during fire | Eight |
| Charges pleaded to | 3 provincial counts under Fire Protection and Prevention Act |
| Fine | $30,000 |
While the fine is now public, the case has left family members and some in the Kingston community feeling that the legal outcome does not fully address the scale of loss. The ruling underscores the limits of provincial offences court in addressing tragedies that have profound human consequences.
As Kingston continues to balance a mix of older homes and rental properties with rising demand, the incident is likely to reinforce calls from tenants' advocates and some city watchers for stronger enforcement and more proactive inspections to ensure required alarms, extinguishers and rated fire doors are in place.
The municipal government had sought a lesser monetary fine but additional penalties including jail time; the sentencing judge elected a larger fine instead. Police maintain the blaze was accidental and not the result of criminal activity.
The deaths at 895 Montreal Street in 2023 remain a somber reminder to landlords and tenants alike of the life-or-death importance of basic fire-safety measures.
