Province says 3 AIM scrapyards in compliance with fire code

A scrap metal company can resume accepting material at three sites after inspections by the New Brunswick government determined they now comply with the fire code.

American Iron and Metal, or AIM, had until Feb. 7 to comply with the code at its scrapyards in Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton. 

"All three locations met the National Fire Code provisions they needed to by the Feb. 7 deadline," Allan Dearing, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Public Safety, said in an emailed statement a week after the deadline.

"They are now able to accept materials from licensed New Brunswick salvage dealers."

AIM took over the Moncton location from another company almost a year ago. 

The Fredericton site is off Carman Avenue on the north side near the Hyla Park Nature Preserve. 

The Saint John site, separate from its port location, is on the east side on Recycling Street.

The sites were among 10 locations issued compliance notices by provincial inspectors last year during checks of 87 scrapyards around New Brunswick.

Dearing said that the 10 sites "have demonstrated substantial compliance" so far, and the province continues to work with them to ensure they are fully compliant.

The province didn't name which sites have yet to fully comply, but Dearing said in an email that some need fencing installed or improved and have been given until May 31 to do so.

The provincewide inspections were carried out following the release of a report on a massive fire at AIM's west Saint John port site on Sept. 14. That fire burned for roughly 40 hours and prompted a city-wide shelter in place order because of hazardous smoke.

The three AIM sites were ordered to fix various issues, such as reducing the height of piles of scrap material, increasing the space between the piles, and adding signs and fire extinguishers. 

AIM went to court in December to challenge the initial deadline to comply with the orders, which led to an agreement in January with the province to comply by Feb. 7. That agreement also said the sites would temporarily stop accepting more material. 

Imagery collected by CBC News with drones over the three sites last week showed reductions in the amount of material at all three sites, particularly in Moncton. 

Romain Viel, a lawyer representing AIM, declined to comment Wednesday morning prior to the province's statement being issued.

Residents living near AIM's Moncton location on Toombs Street last year raised alarm about the noise, smells and other issues. Several dozen attended a city council meeting last fall and called for it to be relocated away from homes. 

The city said it would investigate whether municipal bylaws were being violated. Isabelle LeBlanc, a spokesperson for Moncton, said Tuesday in an email that the city is continuing to investigate.