Hay River highrise owner admits he failed to ensure balconies safe

The company that owns Hay River, N.W.T.'s highrise apartment building will be sentenced on a fire safety charge next month, after the owner admitted that he failed to do work to ensure the building's balconies were safe.

In late 2014, the fire marshal ordered renovations to the 17-storey Mackenzie Place, noting that concrete was cracking on some balconies and that the fire alarm system was broken.

• Balconies off-limits at N.W.T.'s tallest apartment building

In April of 2016, the company that owns the building, SatdeoIncorporated, was charged twice under the N.W.T.'s Fire Prevention Act. The charges related to the owner failing to work to ensure the structural safety of the balconies, as well as failing to keep proper records of inspections and maintenance of safety equipment in the building.

On July 20, owner Harry Satdeopleaded guilty to the charge relating to the balconies. He did not enter a plea for the second charge.

It's not clear if a plea agreement was reached, which could includedropping the second charge. In cases where a person is facing multiple charges and enters a plea of guilty for a selection of the charges and no plea for others, it's common for some charges to be stayed or withdrawn.

Satdeo is scheduled to be sentenced in Hay River September 18.