The City of Thunder Bay has decided to begin the process of laying charges against the owner of the Simpson Street property formerly known as the "Triple Nickel."
The building was completely destroyed in a massive fire this past January. All that was left after the fire was a huge pile of rubble. Since the owner didn't have insurance, he's responsible himself for the clean-up and its costs.
City officials say they have been trying to get the owner to clean the site for health and safety reasons. Licensing and Enforcement Manager Ron Bourret says they've been waiting over four months.
Bourret says they're now proceeding with laying a charge, which could be up to $5,000. If found guilty, he says the city may have to clean up the site and add the cost of the work to the property's taxes. He says they've been told there were estimates ranging from $30,000 to $100,000 for the work.
The owner of the property, Ernesto Mercado, was unavailable for a full interview, but did tell TBT News that he plans to change the fence around the rubble as the city requested.
