Whenever a violation of this Chapter or of the Florida Fire Prevention Code or of
a more stringent municipal fire safety standard occurs or exists, any person, individually
or otherwise who has a legal, beneficial or equitable interest in the facility or
instrumentality causing or contributing to the violation or who has a legal, beneficial,
or equitable interest in the real property upon which such facility or instrumentality
is located shall be jointly and severally liable for said violation regardless of
fault and regardless of knowledge of the violation. This provision shall be construed
to impose joint and several liability, regardless of fault and regardless of knowledge
of the violation, upon all persons, individually or otherwise, who, although no longer
having any such legal, beneficial or equitable interest in said facility or instrumentality
or real property, did have such an interest at any time during which such violation
existed or occurred or continued to exist or to occur. This provision shall be liberally
construed and shall be retroactively applied to protect the public health, safety,
and welfare and to accomplish the purposes of this article and the Florida Fire Prevention
Code.
