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 management system saves plant from severe fire damage
Thanks to an effective fire safety system in place at a recycling centre in Kidderminster, fire crews were quick onto the scene of a blaze which broke out last Tuesday morning, thus preventing any major damage to the premises.
Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) attended the scene at around 3:30am following alerts from a fire alarm plus reports of smoke at Forge Recycling in Stourport Road.
Firefighters were able to attend to the fire straight away and managed to extinguish the blaze with only minimal damage.
Group manager of the fire service, Mick Cadman, said:
“Thanks to the sprinkler system and the early intervention of our fire crews, the fire was contained to just one area inside one of the 12 access bays at the plant.
“The company had detailed contingency plans which they brought into operation quickly and this, along with the assistance from their health and safety manager and their on-site drainage plan, made a real difference to the operation.”
The managing director at Forge Recycling, David Lawrence, added his thoughts to the successful operation when he said:
“The fire management system and all parties involved in implementing it, has saved the facility from a potentially damaging fire. Everyone involved should be congratulated.”
Barnsley nightclub shut down due to fire safety
A club in Barnsley has been forced to close because of safety concerns by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.
The Citrus Rooms club in Eastgate was hoping to have its license renewed at a review hearing, but Barnsley Council was told of the fire service’s fears regarding safety.
A spokesman for Barnsley Council said:
“Members were provided with evidence relating to defective emergency lighting, defective electrical installations, locked emergency exits and poor management.
“At the hearing it was agreed the premises would close voluntarily until September 27 to allow the owners to make the necessary improvements, undertake management and staff training and provide appropriate health and safety documentation.
“However, the premises’ licence holder, Citrus Trading Limited, has now surrendered the licence to Barnsley Council with immediate effect.”
Councillor Charlie Wraith, chairman of the licensing board, also commented on the review:
“We gave the company the benefit of the doubt and allowed them two weeks, at their own request, to complete the necessary improvements to the premises and prove they had the appropriate training and procedures in place to ensure the safety of the public. However, the licence holder has decided against this option and has opted to close the premises.”
Fire alarm temporarily halts wedding service
A fire alarm was set off due to a steaming kettle at a church wedding service in Westhoughton over the weekend.
Nicola Towers and Mark Fishwick, the couple getting married, had to wait as the fire crew checked that there was no fire and the wedding vows could be exchanged at the service in St Bartholomew’s Church.
The wedding ceremony was only put on hold for a few minutes as the fire alarm rang out and the fire service attended to the call out, with guests moving to the vestry but once it was all over the four firefighters from Hindley formed a guard of honour for the couple by raising their fire axes.
Hindley fire station crew manager Mike O’Neill said:
“Apparently, a steaming kettle in the bell tower caused the fire alarm to go off. There were a number of people up there waiting to ring the bells.
“Myself and colleagues Chris Marshall, Steve Francis and Mike Egan, provided the guard of honour and we were delighted to do so.”
This incident just goes to show that although it was a false alarm, it is always necessary to have a fully working fire alarm installed in any premises like a church that deals with the public.