Kingston landlord faces sentencing after fatal 2023 house fire that killed two tenants

A provincial court in Kingston, Ontario heard conflicting accounts of landlord Prithvipal Dadiala, whose property fire killed two tenants in 2023. Sentencing is set for September 4.

Kingston landlord's day of reckoning: fire that killed two tenants, three years on

A provincial offences court in Kingston, Ontario, heard sharply opposing accounts Thursday of landlord Prithvipal (Paul) Dadiala, more than three years after a fire tore through his rental property at 895 Montreal Street on March 30, 2023, killing two people. CBC.ca has followed the case closely, including a prior investigation into fire and building code violations across Dadiala's broader property portfolio.

Two dead, eight inside when fire broke out

Eight people were inside the building when flames ignited in a kitchen cabinet and spread rapidly through the structure. Two tenants on the second floor — Bonnie Demille, 35, and her boyfriend Adam Crowley, 34 — did not survive.

Dadiala originally faced nine charges under Ontario's Fire Protection and Prevention Act. Six were dropped last August when he pleaded guilty to the remaining three.

Victim impact: 'She may have had a fighting chance'

Three members of Demille's family delivered victim impact statements Thursday.

Her mother, Alma Clark, sobbed as she described speaking to her daughter by phone just hours before the blaze. She said she still catches herself dialling Demille's number before remembering the call will never be answered.

Sister Melissa Demille said she has spent 1,161 days grieving and believes the outcome could have been different. "Knowing had that house been up to date on fire codes, she may have had a fighting chance and may even still be with us today," she said.

Another sister, Melinda Jackson, said she is tormented by guilt. "I am the big sister. It's my job and responsibility to take care of younger siblings, and I feel I let Bonnie down," she told the court.

City seeks up to 30 days custody and $15,000 fine

City lawyer Andrew Reeson argued Dadiala bore responsibility for the condition of the home and for ensuring compliance with the fire code. The landlord "acknowledged he was negligent," Reeson said, describing the tenants as "vulnerable people" entitled to the basic safety the fire code requires.

"They tolerated the living conditions … because they had nowhere else to go," Reeson told the court. "No matter what the circumstances at that property, the tenants who were living there called it home."

Reeson called for a sentence of up to 30 days in custody, a $15,000 fine, and up to 12 months of probation. Referring to the "severe, tragic consequences" of the fire, he argued the penalty needed to serve as a warning to building owners across Ontario. A "substantial penalty" is necessary to ensure Dadiala "takes his obligations under the fire code seriously moving forward," he said.

He also pushed back against the notion that Dadiala deserved credit for later improvements to his properties, arguing the landlord should not benefit from waiting for "a terrible tragedy" before acting.

Defence: 78-year-old helped tenants with nowhere to go

Defence lawyer Matt Hodgson portrayed Dadiala as a landlord who gave housing to people who had no other options. He provided the court with four letters of support from family members and read from five letters written by tenants, describing them as evidence that "Mr. Dadiala is a great help" to people in Kingston.

Hodgson said any fire and building code deficiencies identified after the blaze have since been addressed. Dadiala has spent nearly $300,000 on improvements to his other properties, according to his lawyer. The family owns 27 properties in Kingston.

Hodgson argued his 78-year-old client provides financial and emotional support to his wife and children and should not serve time in custody. He added that former tenants and others who have encountered Dadiala are "likely to be in custody," and that placing Dadiala among them could put him in a "dangerous situation."

Instead, Hodgson proposed a fine of $3,000 to $5,000 per offence. He said his client's heart "goes out to the family of the victims" and that "the lesson has been learned. The tragedy won't be repeated."

Reeson countered by pointing to a power imbalance between landlords and tenants, asking the court to view the letters of support through that lens.

Broader pattern of violations

A CBC investigation previously found that the fire triggered a blitz of city inspections, uncovering dozens of building and fire code violations at other properties owned by Dadiala and his family.

Sentencing on September 4

Justice of the Peace Ruth Campbell is scheduled to deliver her sentencing decision on September 4.

Source: Google News JM — Kingston