Guests evacuated after Newcastle hotel fire
It has been revealed that over 100 people had to be safely removed from a city centre hotel in Newcastle the other week when a fire broke out in the laundry room.
Fire crews from Byker, the West End, West Denton and Gateshead attended the blaze at the Vermont Hotel, Castle Garth.
Guests watched on from outside the hotel just after 11pm as the 20 firefighters tackled the flames inside the building.
Stuart Matthews, crew manager at West End fire station, said:
“When we got there, the staff had very quickly evacuated the guests.
“There were about 100 who had been taken out of the entrance near the Moot Hall. Some were in their nightwear.
“Many of them stayed outside while we went in, but some went to the nearby Bridge Hotel pub.
“The fire had started in the laundry room due to an electrical fault in a tumble dryer.
“The laundry room was about 80% damaged by fire and a storage room, an office and changing room within that area were also damaged.
“A conference room on the floor above was slightly damaged by smoke.
“After extinguishing the fire the hotel was smoke logged so we then used positive pressure ventilation through a window.
“We were there for about an hour-and-a-half before the guests were allowed back in.”
It is thought that the fire was started by an electrical fault in a tumble dryer.
Warwick residents startled by factory fire
It has been revealed that a factory blaze which engulfed the premises of shop fitting contractors caused flames and loud bangs that were witnessed for miles around.
The fire was started at Precision Exhibitions in Nelson Lane around 6am when locals were woken by sounds of explosions from gas canisters which were similar to fireworks, with smoke rising high above the county town.
Firefighters from Atherstone, Henley-in-Arden, Nuneaton, Southam and Stratford were quick onto the scene and it took the rest of the morning to extinguish the flames and ensure that the area was made safe.
Cordons were put in place with a number of roads in the area closed while the fire crews damped down the blaze. Residents were also advised to keep their doors and windows closed due to the smoke.
Incident commander Ken Probin said:
“Unfortunately the severity of the fire has destroyed most of the building which was used by an engineering company.
“The cause of the fire is not yet known and once the area is clear, the scene will be examined by the fire investigation team.”
It has been confirmed that a fire service probe has now started into the exact cause of the fire.
Indian restaurant owners guilty of breaching fire safety regulations
Two owners of an Indian restaurant in Mutley, a suburb of Plymouth, have been fined for a breach of fire regulations following a recent fire which was spotted by a passer-by last November.
The smoke alarms and detectors put in place at Mutley Spice were found to be inadequate while fire exits had been blocked.
Nobody was injured in the blaze but part of the building was severely damaged.
Faizul Hoque and Taklus Hussain were each fined £4,000 in addition to prosecution costs as they attended court to face the charges.
Presiding magistrate Diana Greene said:
“We were horrified at the extent of your non-compliance. If a random passer-by had not seen the smoke the outcome could have been extremely different. It hardly bears thinking about.”
Although the owners of the restaurant had not purposely left the building without adequate fire safety in place, this situation just goes to show what can happen if you do not take this seriously.
The risk of fire is greater in these types of establishments with a kitchen, so if you are a restaurant owner then it is necessary to consider your own fire safety procedures and ensure that you have smoke detectors in place for the safety of your staff as well as your customers.
A ‘Fire Safety in Kitchens and Restaurants’ course can cover all of these things and more, helping you to protect your business.
HSE update to construction fire safety
Last week, the Health and Safety Executive announced that it had published a revised guidance on “Fire Safety in Construction” due to the increasing fire risk to workers and members of the public on construction sites.
It is hoped that the new guidance is able to prevent fires in the first place as well as offering safety advice on what to do in the event of a fire.
HSE Chief Inspector of Construction, Philip White, said:
“At worst, fires can and do kill. They can also badly injure and cause serious human suffering and financial loss. Preventing them must be a priority on any building project.
“We have updated the guidance to take account of changes in the law and recent fires on construction sites. It includes new information on higher risk building such as timber frame and multi storey construction and outlines the extra precautions which need to be taken with these.
“Our inspectors would prefer to offer advice but if lives and livelihoods are at risk they will not hesitate to take enforcement action.”
Fire safety training is a must for construction workers and anyone associated with this industry. There are now courses specifically designed for those who work on construction sites.
Fire safety warning to hoteliers
Following the report on Wednesday where we revealed that a hotel in Cheshire was fined for being in serious breach of the regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, this should act as a reminder of what can happen if you neglect your duties when it comes to fire safety in hotels.
By just ensuring that fire safety procedures are in place, working fire alarms are installed and staff are trained in what to do in the event of a fire, you can save a lot of time and money putting it right should you ever get caught out.
When it comes to fire safety in hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts, the issues faced are exclusive to this type of business, due to the number of people staying on these premises at any one time. You have a responsibility as a business owner to ensure the safety of the guests who are staying in your establishment and you can do this by making them aware of the fire safety procedures in place.
A ‘Fire Safety in Hotels’ course is also available to train your employees as fire wardens within this industry, where they will learn how to keep a track of the guests present at any time, make sure all rooms are evacuated in the event of a fire and ensure that this is done as safely as possible.