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WEST COLUMBIA, SC -- WEST COLUMBIA, SC (WACH) -- Monday morning did not mean back to work for Doug Leonard and his 30 employees at the Global Plastic Grinders recycling plant in West Columbia.

The company was issued an order to stop operating June 11 after inspectors found several code violations; according to West Columbia Fire Chief Wyatt Coleman.

"We observed that the exit doors had not been properly marked. The electrical panel boxes were still blocked. Building Inspector Stewart Jones observed that portions of the building were unsafe due to the roof of the area being in danger of immediate collapse."

Other violations included inadequate sprinklers, improper storage of hazards, and a change of occupancy that impacts fire protection.

Leonard said as recently as May, everything at his business was up to par, until last month's fire at Worldwide recycling sparked big changes. Leonard calls the changes a knee-jerk reaction.

"Their inspection report that they gave us on May 22 states that there is not a sprinkler system in the building; but that it is adequate. So it is very difficult to do business in in a city that won't have transparent communication. The city made the commitment to us that the building would be grandfathered in before we made a multi-million dollar purchase. They did not keep that commitment."

Leonard thinks the rapid changes to the state fire code could threaten more businesses than his.

"It is absolutely corporate profiling. If they would have communicated to us any concerns they had, we would have worked with them. I contacted the fire inspector after the Cayce fire and told him 'Hey, if you learn anything from it, let us know.'"

But Chief Coleman said the bottom line is preventing another fire from happening, and saving lives.

"If we go into that business and tell Mr.. Leonard that he can operate that business under now, if they have a fire in that building and people get hurt, we hold that liability.  I am not willing, the city is not willing to support that liability."

The Fire Code Board of Appeals voted unanimously Monday to uphold the work stop order at Leonard's plant; meaning until further notice, his employees are out of work.