It’s not about the smokers.
It’s about disobeying in the small things.
This is why there are felonies and misdemeanors.
Smoking = misdemeanor
Dangerous storage = felony.
The smokers made an error in judgment by smoking where it is not allowed but should have been safe.
The idiot that incorrectly stored flammables has displayed that he cannot perform the most fundamental aspects of his job.
This is like blaming a smoker for starting a fire on the floor of a welding shop. If a cigarette could start the fire a fire was going to start.