Cheshire Councillor fined £45,000 for Fire Safety Breaches
A Councillor in Cheshire has been fined for fire safety breaches at a property he rented out.
Brian Silvester was fined £45,000 at Chester Crown Court for failing to obtain the necessary license for a house in multiple occupation (HMO) and 11 other fire safety offences.
The property had broken smoke alarms, no linked alarm system, blocked escape routes and out of date fire extinguishers. The property also contained a number of factors that increased the risk of a fire breaking out such as a poor wiring and a flooded cellar.
The Councillor for Willaston appeared in court with his brother Colin Silvester who was fined £37,500 for the same offences.
The brothers pleaded guilty to all charges brought against them in relation to Shavington House Farm in Shavington when they appeared at Crewe Magistrates’ Court in July this year.
The brothers were also each ordered to pay costs of £22,000 by recorder Elgan Edwards.
Lee Shears from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The seriousness of the breaches could ultimately have led to serious injury or potential death in the event of a fire but thankfully one didn’t occur and we’ve not had to see any of those risks realised. They were very serious breaches, some of the most serious we have seen in premises of this type.”
A former tenant at the property said that he had serious concerns over fire safety at the building he resorted to leaving a lump hammer on a window sill in his room in case he needed to evacuate the building in the event of a fire.
He said: “The first thing I thought was how to get out in case of fire. I tied a long scaffold rope from a beam which I could throw out of the window. I literally had a lump hammer and a pair of gloves on the window sill so that I could smash the frame, because it was only a small window, and slide down the rope with a pair of gloves. It wasn’t a joke and it wasn’t for show, it had been there from the day I moved in.”
Head of Community Fire Safety Keith Brooks said: “We are pleased with the result. Our aim is always to work closely with landlords, giving them all the support and guidance they need to ensure the safety of their tenants. However, failure to comply with the law can, as this case has shown, result in a prosecution.”
Fire breaks out at Cheshire recycling warehouse
A huge blaze broke out at a warehouse in Cheshire on the evening of 21st October.
Residents living near to the building were asked to keep their doors and windows closed due to the large amount of smoke coming from the building.
Firefighters arrived at the fire on Johnsons Lane in Widnes at around 9.35pm. Eight ground monitor jets and a hydraulic platform were also used.
The warehouse was used as a storage facility and contained recycling material. When firefighters had arrived the fire had already spread to other nearby buildings.
A spokesperson from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Firefighters are doing all they can to bring this difficult fire under control. They would like to thank the community for their patience, but they are also warning that the disruption caused is likely to continue for potentially the next few days.”
It is not yet known how the fire started but an investigation will be carried out.
Victorian mill destroyed in blaze
A huge fire broke out at a disused mill in Blackburn in Lancashire on 23rd October.
Five fire engines and an overhead crane joined the incident at the Apex Mill near Bold Street in Blackburn at around 7pm.
The intense blaze cause the roof of the Victorian building, which was used as a reed and heald making factory until 1933, to collapse.
Local roads around the building were closed off while crews tackled the fire.
One eye witness said: “We saw the smoke at first and thought there was a car on fire nearby. But a few minutes later, the roof went up. It all happened very quickly.”
There were no casualties reported in the incident and the cause of the fire is not yet known.
Candles start fire in Amersham flat
Fire crews attended an incident at a ground floor flat in Amersham after a fire broke out after tea-light candles were left to burn in a bedroom.
Two crews attended the fire in Grove Road at 6.30am on 9th October.
The fire started after several tea-light candles were left alight on top of a fridge freezer in a bedroom in the property.
The bedroom suffered around 20% fire damage and also severe smoke damage.
One man required treatment at the scene for the effects of smoke inhalation.
Watch Manager Sam Sansom said: “The candles had not been placed in holders and they burnt through the top of the fridge freezer. Three other tea-lights had also been placed directly on to a mantelpiece. Fortunately a working smoke alarm alerted the family of four and they were able to get out of the flat and call 999. More than five fires a day are started in the UK by candles, and the consequences can be tragic. It’s very important to make sure candles are kept well away from flammable objects and never left unattended.”
Scottish house fire numbers decrease but number of fatalities rises
Recent figures have shown that the number of house fires in Scotland has dropped to its lowest level in over 10 years. Sadly, although this figure has dropped, there has been a 10% rise in deaths.
Figures show that 57 people died in fires in 2011-12, compared with 52 in 2010-11. Around 45% of these fatal house fires were caused by matches and smoker materials and cooking appliances were responsible for 58% of all accidental house fires.
17% of these accidental house fires were thought to have been connected to drink or drugs.
A particularly shocking statistic is that in nearly 50% of house fires in 2010-11 there was either no smoke alarm, or the smoke alarm did not work.
Community safety minister, Roseanna Cunningham said: “It is thanks to the work of fire and rescue services – which I have seen fantastic examples of in schools, workplaces and communities – that house fires are continuing to decrease across Scotland and lives are being saved. It is a tragedy however that lives continue to be lost to fire every year. Every death is devastating and underlines that we all need to be on our guard against the risks. Once again, alcohol and/or drugs were suspected to have been a factor in at least one in six accidental house fires. Although other key figures in this publication indicate an improving awareness of the danger of fire in our homes, this underlines that a link remains between alcohol, drug use and fire. The most important message we can give is not to be complacent and always be on your guard. We also urge you to get a smoke alarm and check it regularly to ensure it is in working order.”
David McLetchie, Scottish Conservative community safety spokesman said: “The news that house fires in Scotland are at their lowest in a decade is a testament to the hard work of officers in raising awareness of fire prevention in Scotland’s communities. However, it’s of great concern that a greater percentage of fires in people’s homes are involving alcohol or drugs. Equally worrying is that fatality and casualty rates in Scotland remain considerably higher than the rest of the UK.”
English and Welsh statistics are not yet available for comparison.