Hefty fine for Nottingham events organiser
A Nottingham event organiser has been fined £24,000 after failing to adhere to fire safety regulations.
Michael Snow, organiser of a Mansfield car boot fair pleaded guilty to eight breaches of fire safety regulations. Mr Snow appealed and had his fine reduced to around £12,000. He was also given a 6 month suspended sentence and ordered to carry out unpaid work in the community.
The case serves as a reminder that temporary events organisers are bound by the same rules as other business owners and are not exempt from complying with fire safety regulations.
Derelict building damaged in blaze
Over 50 firefighters tackled a serious blaze at a derelict building in Peterborough.
The fire service was alerted by a local resident after they spotted smoke and flames on the roof of the building formally used by Dairy Crest.
It is not yet known what caused the fire but it has been reported that the building did not have any working fire alarms at the time of the blaze. Building owners are required by law to ensure their premises have adequate fire detection systems.
53 die in Shanghai apartment blaze
A fire in a 28 storey apartment block in Shanghai, China, has killed 53 people and injured dozens more.
The blaze was thought to have started by people carrying out unlicensed welding within the building. More than 100 fire engines tackled the fire and it took over four hours to contain.
Four people have been arrested for causing the fire.
Yorkshire landlord pleads guilty to eight fire safety violations
A North Yorkshire landlord has pleaded guilty to a series of fire safety breaches at his property in Scarborough.
Mr Banki was reported to the authorities after North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service found that the property he owned had insufficient fire exits, alarms and emergency lighting.
Prosecuting officer, Karen Galloway said, “The contraventions in this case were serious and would have continued had the fire authority and Scarborough Borough Council not acted immediately by serving a prohibition notice on the Responsible Person.”
Lazlo Banki is due to appear at York Crown Court next month for sentencing.
Fire destroys 200-year-old cottage
An investigation has been launched after a thatched cottage in Hampshire was destroyed by a fire.
Cherry Tree Cottage, in Woodgreen Common, close to Fordingbridge, was said to have been about 200 years old.
Around 80 firefighters from Fordingbridge, Ringwood, Verwood, Salisbury, Burley, New Milton, Cranborne, Beaulieu, Lyndhurst, Eastleigh and St Marys attended the blaze, which happened at 12:45am, last Thursday morning.
Fire crews worked until the early hours damping down the scene.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Area Manager Andy Bowers said:
“Both the roof and first floor of the thatched cottage were well alight when our fire crews first arrived on the scene.
“The incident could potentially have been much worse though, had crews not acted so quickly and efficiently, with adjacent properties being so close.
“As with most thatched property fires, the fire spread very quickly and unfortunately both the roof and first floor were severely damaged.
“Firefighters from Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Dorset worked closely together to salvage contents from the ground floor of the property.”
It has been confirmed that the couple living in the cottage and their children managed to safely escape the fire and nobody else was injured in the incident.
A probe is now underway into the cause of the blaze.