Elkton Man Charged For Faulty Fire & Life Safety Services At JD's Smokehouse
CHURCHVILLE, Md. (WJZ)—An Elkton man—whose license was revoked after a 2013 investigation—has been arrested for performing fire and life safety maintenance at a local restaurant. Officials say the services would have failed in a real emergency.
Thomas G. Williams, 61, is the owner of Total Resource Fire and Safety.
Officials say he unlawfully performed service on the kitchen hood and fire extinguishers at JD's Smokehouse North on June 2—services that would have most likely failed in an actual emergency, causing extensive damage to the restaurant and/or injuring nearby employees.
They say Williams was paid for his services, but he failed to return paid property to the restaurant.
Williams and his company were investigated in September 2013 after a business owner filed a complaint with the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The investigation revealed poor workmanship, disregarding codes set forth by the National Fire Protection Association and Williams not following industry standards. After a lengthy investigation, the Office of the State Fire Marshal revoked Williams' licenses in October 2013.
Deputy State Fire Marshals obtained a criminal summons and served Williams at his home.
Williams has been charged with two counts of violating a fire prevention title/regulation, acting as a contractor without a license and theft less than $1,000. If convicted of the charges, Williams faces two years in jail and/or $3,500 in fines.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal is requesting any business that has contracted with Williams and his company to perform service to contact the Northeast Regional Office at 410 836-4844 for a follow-up inspection. This inspection would be completed free of charge.
Other Local News: