Subdivision 1. Summon witnesses; produce documentary evidence. (a) In order to establish if reasonable grounds exist to believe that a violation of sections 609.561 to 609.576 has occurred, or to determine compliance with the State Fire Code or corrective orders issued under that code, the state fire marshal and the staff designated by the state fire marshal, in any county of the state, may summon and compel the attendance of witnesses to testify before the state fire marshal, chief assistant fire marshal, or deputy state fire marshals and may require the production of any book, paper, or document deemed pertinent.
(b) A summons issued under this subdivision must be served in the same manner and has the same effect as a subpoena issued from a district court. All witnesses must receive the same compensation as is paid to witnesses in district courts, which must be paid out of the fire marshal fund upon a voucher certificate signed by the state fire marshal, chief assistant fire marshal, or deputy fire marshal before whom any witnesses have attended and this officer shall, at the close of the investigation in which the witness was subpoenaed, certify to the attendance and mileage of the witness. This certificate must be filed in the Office of the State Fire Marshal. All investigations held by or under the direction of the state fire marshal or any subordinate may, in the state fire marshal's discretion, be private and persons other than those required to be present by the provisions of this chapter may be excluded from the place where the investigation is held, and witnesses may be kept separate and apart from each other and not allowed to communicate with each other until they have been examined.
Subd. 2. Oath administered. The state fire marshal, chief assistant state fire marshal, and deputy state fire marshals are each hereby authorized and empowered to administer oaths and affirmations to any persons appearing as witnesses before them; and false swearing in any matter or proceeding aforesaid shall be deemed perjury and punished as such.
Subd. 3. Penalty for refusal to testify or produce evidence. Any witness who refuses to be sworn, or who refuses to testify, or who disobeys any lawful order of the state fire marshal, chief assistant fire marshal, or deputy state fire marshal in relation to the investigation, or who fails or refuses to produce any paper, book, or document touching any matter under examination, or who is guilty of any contemptuous conduct, after being summoned to appear before them to give testimony in relation to any matter or subject under examination or investigation may be punished by any district court in the same manner as if the proceedings were pending in that court, subject to the provisions of section 588.01.
(5957) 1913 c 564 s 8; 1978 c 777 s 6; 1986 c 444; 1997 c 239 art 8 s 22,23; 2005 c 136 art 9 s 8
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 299A - 299N — Public Safety
Section 299F.01 — Fire Marshal.
Section 299F.011 — State Fire Code; Administration And Enforcement.
Section 299F.0115 — Exemption For Members Of Federally Recognized Tribes.
Section 299F.012 — Fire Safety Account.
Section 299F.013 — Fuel Dispensing.
Section 299F.014 — Petroleum Storage Tanks; Tank Vehicle Parking.
Section 299F.03 — Special Attorney.
Section 299F.035 — Fire Department Use Of Criminal History Data.
Section 299F.036 — Firefighter; Previous Employment Investigation.
Section 299F.037 — Reporting Firefighter Deaths.
Section 299F.04 — Origin Of Fire Investigated; Computerized Arson Data.
Section 299F.05 — Law Enforcement Powers; Information System.
Section 299F.051 — Arson Training.
Section 299F.052 — Arson Reporting Immunity Law, Citation.
Section 299F.053 — Definitions.
Section 299F.054 — Disclosure Of Information.
Section 299F.055 — Confidential Data; Evidence.
Section 299F.056 — Enforcement.
Section 299F.057 — Applicability Of Ordinances; Concurrent Jurisdiction.
Section 299F.059 — Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention.
Section 299F.06 — Testimonial Powers.
Section 299F.08 — Premises, When Entered.
Section 299F.09 — Building Entered Within Reasonable Hours.
Section 299F.092 — Definitions.
Section 299F.093 — Powers And Duties Of Commissioner.
Section 299F.094 — Report Required; Contents.
Section 299F.095 — Powers And Duties Of Fire Department.
Section 299F.096 — Duty To Safeguard Private Information.
Section 299F.099 — Local Ordinance Preempted.
Section 299F.18 — Combustible Material Removed.
Section 299F.19 — Flammable Liquids And Explosives.
Section 299F.20 — Failure To Comply, Punishment.
Section 299F.28 — Records Are Public, Exceptions.
Section 299F.29 — County And City Attorneys To Assist.
Section 299F.30 — Fire Drill In School; Doors And Exits.
Section 299F.31 — Penalties Paid Into State Treasury.
Section 299F.32 — Statutory Construction.
Section 299F.35 — Statement Of Insured, Use In Civil Action.
Section 299F.3605 — Petroleum Refineries.
Section 299F.362 — Smoke Detector; Installation; Rules; Penalty.
Section 299F.391 — Health Care, Education, Or Lodging Facility.
Section 299F.40 — Liquefied Petroleum Or Industrial Gas Container.
Section 299F.46 — Hotel Inspections.
Section 299F.47 — School Inspections.
Section 299F.48 — Automatic Sprinkler Systems In Existing Public Housing Buildings.
Section 299F.50 — Definitions.
Section 299F.51 — Requirements For Carbon Monoxide Alarms.
Section 299F.56 — Definitions; Natural Gas Pipeline Safety.
Section 299F.57 — Safety Standards; Gas Pipeline.
Section 299F.58 — Certification And Report To Federal Government.
Section 299F.59 — Compliance With Standards.
Section 299F.60 — Pipeline Violation; Rules, Civil Penalties.
Section 299F.61 — Pipeline Violation; Injunctive Relief, Judicial Procedure.
Section 299F.62 — Plan To Operate And Maintain Gas Pipeline.
Section 299F.63 — Records, Reports, Inspections.
Section 299F.631 — Inspection Fee; Assessment, Rules.
Section 299F.64 — Federal Money.
Section 299F.641 — Intrastate Hazardous Liquid Pipeline.
Section 299F.72 — Definitions.
Section 299F.73 — License Required.
Section 299F.74 — Permit Required For Possession Or Use.
Section 299F.75 — Permit Application.
Section 299F.76 — Affirmation And Identification; Effective Period.
Section 299F.77 — Issuance To Certain Persons Prohibited.
Section 299F.785 — Black Powder.
Section 299F.79 — Unlawful Possession Of Component; Penalty.
Section 299F.80 — Unlawful Possession Of Explosive; Penalties.
Section 299F.82 — Illegal Transfer; Penalty.
Section 299F.83 — Negligent Discharge.
Section 299F.831 — Handling While Influenced By Alcohol Or Drug.
Section 299F.850 — Cigarette Fire Safety Definitions.
Section 299F.851 — Test Method And Performance Standard.
Section 299F.852 — Certification And Product Change.
Section 299F.853 — Marking And Cigarette Packaging.
Section 299F.854 — Penalties And Remedies.
Section 299F.855 — Implementation.
Section 299F.856 — Inspection.
Section 299F.857 — Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity Account.