Suspended sentence for fire safety breach landlord
A Lancashire landlord has been given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to breaching fire safety regulations.
Neal Gilligan, who is the owner of several properties in Lytham St Annes pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him at Preston Crown Court on 11th October.
Fire officers discovered the breaches after a fire broke out in one of the properties. It was found that an sufficient fire risk assessment had not been carried out and fire alarms, extinguishers and emergency lighting were not working properly.
Investigators discovered that all seven of Mr Gilligan’s properties were found to have serious fire safety failings.
The Judge at Preston Crown Court said: “It is a miracle no-one was injured or put in harm’s way,” said Susan Beech. “You showed a careless, if not wilful disregard for the safety and lives of your tenants, putting rental income before the safety of those whose rent you were only too keen to take. There is a need to send a clear message to others that disregard for important safety precautions, either once or over a prolonged period, will not go unmarked or unpunished.”
£21,000 fine for fire safety breach chip shop owner
The owner of the Beach Break Cafe fish and chip shop in Brighton has been found guilty of breaching fire safety regulations.
Ms Coull who owns the café was fined £21,000 after pleading guilty to breaching 6 fire safety regulations. The case was heard at Brighton Magistrates Court.
The breaches were discovered after a fire broke out in the property in 2011. The cafe had no emergency lighting and only one domestic standard smoke alarm, which was not working properly. A fire risk assessment had not been carried out in the property and staff had not been given any fire safety training.
Richard Fowler from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: “The public should continue to be reassured that we take any breaches of fire safety legislation very seriously.”
Wood factory fire burns for almost two weeks
A fire which broke out at a wood factory in Cambridgeshire on the 16th July has finally been extinguished, 2 weeks after it started.
It took crews more than ten days to extinguish the fire in Eaton Socon in Cambridgeshire.
One firefighter needed hospital treatment after suffering heat exhaustion.
Firefighters confirmed that the fire had been ‘concluded’ and that only a small amount of smouldering remains which will be left to burn safely under the management of the site’s owners.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that you:
‘must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons are exposed’
This means that all companies as a first point in their Fire Safety must complete a Fire Risk Assessment. This must be carried out by a competent person, who is trained to perform risk assessments. Your Fire Training needs, your fire extinguisher needs and any other fire safety related issues you will need to address will be highlighted from the Fire Risk Assessment.
Our team of experienced and qualified Fire Risk Assessors will perform a full Fire Risk Assessment of your premises, and provide you with a comprehensive document detailing the risks found and recommendations to minimise the risks.
Our Fire Risk Assessment is divided into nine separate areas:
- Fire safety administration
- Fire fighting facilities
- Identifying fire hazards
- Fire routine and test procedure
- Means of escape
- Review procedures
- Staff/people at risk
- Arson prevention check list
- Fire warning facilities
When you have a Fire Risk Assessment, you must review this to ensure that everything is still in order. For example, you have a reshuffle of departments and your trained Fire Wardens are all moved onto the same floor of the building so more are required to cover the other floors, or you may have an extension built on your building. You may not even have had any changes in personnel or building, but it is essential that you review the Fire Risk Assessment anyway! We provide a service to review your Fire Risk Assessments for you, whether completed by ourselves or not.
Fire at Plymouth industrial estate
An investigation is underway after a large fire broke out at the Lee Mill Industrial Estate near Plymouth on the afternoon of 27th July.
A 200 metre cordon was set up around the area due to highly explosive gas cylinders being stored on the site.
Eight fire crews attended the fire and spent several hours battling the blaze.
No casualties were reported in the fire and although an investigation will be carried out, the fire is not thought to have been started deliberately.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that you:
‘must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons are exposed’
This means that all companies as a first point in their Fire Safety must complete a Fire Risk Assessment. This must be carried out by a competent person, who is trained to perform risk assessments. Your Fire Training needs, your fire extinguisher needs and any other fire safety related issues you will need to address will be highlighted from the Fire Risk Assessment.
Our team of experienced and qualified Fire Risk Assessors will perform a full Fire Risk Assessment of your premises, and provide you with a comprehensive document detailing the risks found and recommendations to minimise the risks.
Our Fire Risk Assessment is divided into nine separate areas:
- Fire safety administration
- Fire fighting facilities
- Identifying fire hazards
- Fire routine and test procedure
- Means of escape
- Review procedures
- Staff/people at risk
- Arson prevention check list
- Fire warning facilities
When you have a Fire Risk Assessment, you must review this to ensure that everything is still in order. For example, you have a reshuffle of departments and your trained Fire Wardens are all moved onto the same floor of the building so more are required to cover the other floors, or you may have an extension built on your building. You may not even have had any changes in personnel or building, but it is essential that you review the Fire Risk Assessment anyway! We provide a service to review your Fire Risk Assessments for you, whether completed by ourselves or not.
Hotel boss pleads guilty to fire safety breaches
A hotel boss in Salford has admitted breaching fire safety regulations, putting the lives of guests in danger.
Sultan Chaudhry who runs The White Lodge Hotel, was found guilty of ten offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 when he appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on 4th April.
The breaches were discovered by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s fire safety officers when they visited the hotel after a fire broke out on April 13, 2011.
The fire broke out in the lobby of the hotel at around 4am. Firefighters were told by the manager that all 13 residents had evacuated the building. It was later discovered that actually, one guest still remained inside.
When fire safety officers attended later that day they issued Prohibition Notice preventing anyone staying in the hotel due to the complete lack of fire safety precautions.
Officers found that the fire alarms were faulty and had not been set up correctly, fire extinguishers were empty, escape routes were inadequate and there was inadequate emergency lighting.
A suitable fire risk assessment had not been carried out and staff at the hotel had not been trained in fire safety procedures.
Peter O’Reilly from GMFRS’ said: “Mr Chaudhry was running a hotel business and guests at the hotel are entitled to be safe. Fortunately, when the fire occurred nobody was injured, thanks to the professionalism of our crews who attended. “This could have been a very serious incident. It is unacceptable for a hotel business not to have proper procedures in place and put lives at risk. Members of the public using this hotel were placed in danger by Mr Chaudhry’s failings. Anyone running a business has a responsibility to comply with the law.”