Council staff 'too busy' to carry out fire safety checks

Lutterworth council staff 'too busy' to carry out fire safety checks

 

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23 Jul 2012

Staff at Lutterworth Town Council do not have time to carry out fire safety checks at home across the area, it has been revealed.
Officials from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service had asked the council if its two premise officers could spend up to five hours a month inspecting local properties and installing safety equipment in homes, reports the Harborough Mail.
However, the town council has rejected the idea, claiming that its officers are already working at full capacity. It was also concerned about the potential issues which may arise if a fire were to break out at a home which had been deemed 'safe'.

A spokesman for Leicestershire Fire Service told the news provider: "We work in partnership with a number of local authorities, including Harborough and Blaby district councils, on fire safety. It is all about having some joined-up thinking in public services.
"Sometimes it makes sense to train people in local authorities to carry out these checks if, for example, they are in contact with vulnerable people."

Firefighters tackle plastics manufacturing plant fire - VIDEO

Firefighters tackle plastics manufacturing plant fire - VIDEO 25 July 2012

Firefighters from Humberside Fire and Rescue Service tackled a huge fire at a plastic manufacturing plant that sent toxic fumes over the east of Hull, yesterday morning
The fire broke out in the open, and miraculously had little effect on the actual manufacturing plant, according to Plastics & Rubber Weekly.
However amateur video shows a wind turbine caught in the blaze, which was apparently left severely blackened.
Water was pumped from the River Hull to control the blaze, with flames reaching 30-40m at times.
Fire crews were able to use protective water sprays to prevent the premises of JKN Polymers from being destroyed.
Speaking to the BBC, Richard Hannigan, chief fire officer said: "We've got the situation well and truly under control. Four appliances are at the scene damping down.”
"We're now into the investigation phase of the incident to try and discover the cause of the fire. We want to prevent this happening again.”

Restaurant fined £6500 for 12 Fire Safety offences

Restaurant fined £6500 for 12 fire safety offences

 26 July 2012

A former restaurant owner has had to pay £6,500 for providing unsafe sleeping accommodation above his restaurant.
Amed Ali, who owned the Light of India restaurant in Wallsend, Tyneside, pleaded guilty to 12 offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 when he appeared before North Tyneside magistrates court on 25 May. The case was then referred to Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing on 16 July.

Mr Ali was fined £250 for each offence and ordered to pay £3500 costs.
Prosecuting, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service told the court that fire safety officers visited the premises in May 2011. Fire safety breaches included inadequate means of giving warning in case of a fire, inadequate escape routes from the first floor sleeping accommodation in the event of a fire, lack of proper fire safety training and not having a fire risk assessment in place.

Officers also served a prohibition notice on using the first floor as sleeping accommodation.
Group manager Darren Boddy of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said:
"It is the responsibility of all business owners to ensure the safety of anyone on their premises. A fire risk assessment must be undertaken to identify the risks to the people within the premises and the accommodation must have an appropriate standard of fire safety measures, systems and adequate escape routes. By failing to ensure these fire safety provisions are in place, some business owners are putting people's lives at risk.

"We always strive to work with businesses to ensure the safety of their staff and members of the public, but where necessary we will not hesitate to take legal action against those who do not and continue to flout the law."

Spaghetti being heated on toaster causes fire

Spaghetti being heated on toaster causes fire    

Two men escaped a blaze after they tried heating a tin of spaghetti with a toaster.
London Fire Brigade firefighters were called to a maisonette on Wartlersville Road in Upper Holloway at just after 9.30pm on Monday 9 July. The fire was under control at just after 10pm.
Four fire engines and around 20 firefighters attended the scene from Holloway and Kentish Town fire stations. The two men escaped the blaze before crews arrived on the scene.

Watch manager Adam Barnett, who was at the scene, said: “The two men had wedged the toaster on and were cooking a tin of spaghetti on top of it. Thankfully no one was injured and we managed to prevent the fire from spreading to other homes. There were no smoke alarms in the property so I would urge everyone to get one today. And it’s never a good idea to try and heat a tin on your toaster, as we’ve seen here, it can be really dangerous."
From info4fire

Busy city centre streets closed after fire breaks out in travel agent

By Cara Sulieman 19 July 2012 15:52 BST From STV

Fire: Crews are battling the flames in Hanover Street.STV

 

Two busy main streets in the capital have been closed after a large fire at a travel agent.

The blaze broke out at Thomas Cook on Hanover Street just after 3pm on Thursday and the smoke plume could be seen around the city.
After spreading into the roof of the travel agent, it has also spread to a two-storey building at the back which houses the New York Steam Packet restaurant.
Around 60 firefighters are battling the flames and support staff are also on the scene.
A staff member at a neighbouring restaurant told STV News they evacuated diners when smoke started to appear in their premises.
Richard Beattie said: "We didn't think it was that bad to begin with and kept on serving for another five or ten minutes because it was just a little bit of smoke. We thought it would be put out quickly.
"When we saw flames on the roof we got everybody out. The smoke started coming into the restaurant, both on the ground floor and even in the staff area in the basement. You could see the flames coming out of the top above Thomas Cook."
He added he had been told it could be up to a week until his workplace was reopened.
Mr Beattie said: "My manager said it would probably take a week or so to reopen it. They have to bring people in to look at the structure and then we can get inside and see what damage has been done."
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said the flames broke out on the ground floor of the shop and have spread to the roof space. Fire crews are using breathing apparatus to get inside the building.
Crews are concerned the blaze will spread through crevices and other hidden spaces inside the old buildings.
Workers in the surrounding buildings have been evacuated, including some on George Street and Rose Street.
As well as eleven fire engines, the service have a height appliance, command support unit and fire investigation unit on the scene.
A firefighter suffered a minor injury to his finger while tackling the blaze.
Lothian and Borders Police have closed parts of Princes Street, George Street and Hanover Street to all traffic and pedestrians. Traffic is being diverted away from the area and drivers are asked to use alternative routes.

Developer ordered to pay £40,000 for 'flagrant' fire safety breaches

  19 July 2012

A landlord who put students at risk by breaching fire safety regulations has been given a suspended nine month jail sentence.
Property developer, Robert Price, 52, was also ordered to pay £40,000 in fines and costs at Leicester Crown Court. The fines and costs must be paid within four months with the jail sentence suspended for 12 months.
Price pleaded guilty to three fire safety offences at an earlier hearing at Leicester Magistrates’ Court but was committed to Leicester Crown Court for sentencing because of the seriousness of the offences.
The court heard that Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service officers discovered that students were living in Lillie House, Condit Street, in Leicester city centre on 5 October 2010. At the time this property was still in the process of being converted to student accommodation.
Fire officers were tipped off by a member of the public and found that the accommodation had serious fire safety failings. A prohibition notice was issued to prevent it from being used. The site was re-visited by fire officers and was found to be in use, in breach of the prohibition notice.
Sentencing Price, His Honour Judge Robert Brown said: “I take a serious view of these matters. Health and safety should at all times be your highest priority as a property developer. It was not. You put profit for yourself above the safety of the students who were going to live in the accommodation you provided. Your conduct I am satisfied fell far below the safety requirements required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.
“You clearly had prior knowledge of the deficiencies not just the day before the students had been in the property for a month. You failed to heed the warning of the architect. You ignored that advice. You failed to heed the warning of the fire safety officers and when a prohibition notice was issued you breached not once but twice. You knowingly allowed occupation when fire safety standards were inadequate and that it was financially motivated.”
A second defendant, Craig Derrick, the site foreman, pleaded guilty to one offence and was ordered to pay £5,015 in fines and costs on 22 June 2012 by Leicester Magistrates Court for breaching a fire safety prohibition notice.
Rick Taylor, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, area manager for community safety said: “The sentences reflect the seriousness with which such a flagrant breach of fire safety legislation is viewed. Those put at risk were young students, many of whom were away from home for the first time, placing their trust in Price. These students were let down and misled into believing they could return to their accommodation, despite the serious fire safety failings.”

From info4fire

Hotel manager receives community order for 10 Fire Safety breaches

  19 July 2012  

A hotel manager who breached fire safety laws and put the lives of his guests in danger has been given a community order.

Sultan Chaudhry, 55, was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work when he appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday 11 July. He was convicted of ten offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in relation to the White Lodge Hotel, in Great Cheetham Street West, Salford, after he pleaded guilty to the charges at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 4 April.

Following a fire at the hotel, Chaudhry told firefighters there was nobody in the property, only for crews to enter and rescue a guest from one of the rooms.

In sentencing Chaudhry to a 12-month community order and costs of almost £3,000, Recorder Patrick Field told him: “This is deeply shaming for you. These are serious matters amounting to a significant and serious disregard for the safety of others. Your financial circumstances are not such as to allow me to impose an appropriate fine.”

At around 4am on 13 April, 2011, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service crews were called to the hotel after a fire occurred in the lobby. Firefighters searched the building and rescued a guest from the first-floor, despite the manager having told crews that all 13 residents were out of the building at the time.

When fire safety officers attended later that day, they were so concerned about the lack of fire safety measures that a prohibition notice was served preventing anyone staying in the hotel. Officers also discovered that the fire alarms were faulty and had been wired incorrectly, fire extinguishers were empty, escape routes were inadequate, there was no emergency lighting on one escape route and a fire door had been removed.

An entranceway had been knocked into the wall without building regulations consent, meaning that in the event of a fire, heat, smoke and flames would spread into the staircase.

There was no suitable fire risk assessment in place and staff working at the hotel had not received adequate training.

From info4fire

'Lives will be lost' if budget cuts go ahead, warns West Yorkshire fire officer

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Thank goodness Fire & Police are Devolved issues.

 

17 Jul 2012

People's lives will be put at risk if the government goes ahead with plans to slash fire authority budgets in metropolitan areas, it has been claimed.

Speaking at the Commons Local Government Committee on Monday (16th July), West Yorkshire's assistant chief fire officer Martyn Redfearn warned that further cuts to services' budgets could hinder fire protection work.

When quizzed about whether budget cuts would endanger people's lives, Mr Redfearn said: "If it's cut in the next two years, just point blank cut, then what we'll end up with is all prevention work will stop and people who are most at risk will not be getting the service that they should do.

"And the fact is prevention and protection is what actually stops people dying."

The comments were dismissed by fire minister Bob Neill, who claimed that there was no evidence to back up Mr Redfearn's claims.

In December, Mr Neil is due to make an announcement on fire service's budgets for 2013-2015.

No injuries in Istanbul skyscraper blaze thanks to fire extinguishing system

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18 Jul 2012

No-one was injured in a huge blaze at an Istanbul skyscraper thanks to the building's quick-acting fire extinguishing system, it has been claimed.

Fire crews were called to the 42-storey Polat Tower building yesterday (July 17th) after thick black plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the site.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from the tower, which contains apartments, shops and businesses, as firefighters and helicopters tackled the blaze.

Although the fire caused extensive external damage to the building, officials confirmed no-one was injured in the building.

Mustafa Sarigul, the mayor of the district of Sisli, where the tower is located, told the Associated Press: "The building's fire-extinguishing system automatically activated. Otherwise we could have faced a huge disaster."

Meanwhile, Adnan Polat, the tower block's owner, said: "Our biggest reward is there was no loss of life. This building has an early warning system and this incident showed the importance of it to everyone."

An investigation into the fire, which was believed to have been caused by a faulty air conditioning unit, is set to be launched.

From FIA

Ten Merseyside fire stations may be forced to close following budget cuts

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17 Jul 2012

Thank goodness Fire & Polce are Devolved issues in Scotland.

Ten fire stations in Merseyside could be forced to close if the government goes ahead with planned budget cuts, it has been claimed.

Dan Stephens, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service's (MFRS) chief fire officer, warned MPs at a committee meeting that the service will have to drastically scale back its operations if the government opts to cut its funding by 12.5 per cent between 2013 and 2015, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Having already seen its budget slashed by £9 million - twice the national average - while other services have enjoyed a grant rise, MFRS has joined forces with England's other big metropolitan areas to call for fairer funding.
"The worst case scenario - if the cuts are twice the national average again - is that we would need to cut ten fire stations," Mr Stephens told the news provider.

"You don't need to be a chief fire officer to realise that will have an impact, not just on the speed that we get to incidents, but also on the quality of service that we are able to provide."

Fire chiefs from Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Midlands and Tyne and Wear, as well as Merseyside, are calling on fire minister Bob Neill to impose equal cuts when a funding decision is made in December.

Elderly woman taken to hospital following care home fire

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 Jul 2012

An elderly woman had to be taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a Conwy care home.

North Wales fire service were called to the Fairhaven Rest Home in Colwyn Bay at 6.09am on Wednesday (July 11th).

The four attending fire crews managed to bring the fire under control after around two hours but could not prevent the flames from damaging the room where the fire started. The first and second floors also suffered smoke damage.

One elderly female resident was taken to hospital, while another received treatment at the scene.

A 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in England and Wales, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
If the fire risk assessment is deemed to be carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to two years.

An investigation has been launched to establish the cause of the blaze.

 

Company fire risk assessment scheme launched    

A new fire risk assessment certification scheme was officially launched last month.
The BAFE SP205 Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Scheme has been developed for organisations which provide fire risk assessment services.
Speaking at the launch event in London on 30 May, BAFE chairman Phil Toase said:
“Development of independent schemes to ensure quality of fire protection and fire safety in the built environment has always been close to my heart.
“I have seen the misery and disruption caused by fire and I believe the wider fire community has a duty to ensure that everything possible is done to minimise these catastrophic effects. Third party certification ensures that independent bodies regularly assess the competence of companies to deliver their services.”
Four certification bodies are now working with UKAS to achieve the requirements to certificate the new scheme.

Pub Landlord pleads guilty to 8 Fire Safety offences.

A pub landlord has pleaded guilty to eight fire safety offences after failing to understand he had become responsible when his lease changed.

Appearing at Manchester City magistrates court on Tuesday 3 July Robert Vincent Ashton of Westbourne Road, Swinton was ordered to pay £500 costs and given an 18-month conditional discharge.
The case was bought against Mr Ashton after an investigation in August 2011 revealed several fire safety failings.
The offences included: failing to make a suitable fire risk assessment; inadequate fire resistance to escape routes; failing to provide a suitable fire alarm; failing to provided suitable and sufficient firefighting equipment; and failing to comply with a prohibition notice.
Paul Darnborough, prosecuting for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, said that had a fire occurred rather than providing a safe escape the emergency routes would have provided a "corridor of smoke and fire that would trapped people upstairs".
Mr Ashton pleaded guilty to all of the offences.
Assistant chief officer Peter O'Reilly, director of prevention and protection at GMFRS, said:
"We were right to bring this prosecution as members of the public had been put at risk - but the decision of the magistrates recognises that Ashton did not seek to put profit over safety but rather failed to understand his responsibilities.
"I hope that this case will encourage people setting up or entering businesses to ensure they research their legal responsibilities. Anyone entering into a lease arrangement must ensure they fully understand their obligations and the legal implications.”

DSFRS begins charging for repeat false alarms

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02 Jul 2012 @fireindustry

The Fire Industry Association ( FIA ) has received evidence that Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) has begun charging to attend false fire alarms at non-domestic premises.
The current level of charging is believed to be approximately £312 per hour and will be leveled at repeat offenders, in a bid to tackle the number of false alarms the service is forced to attend.
This is part of DSFRS's plans to reduce its costs. From April 2010 to March 2011, the service received 4,339 calls from Automatic Fire Alarm (AFA) systems, only six per cent of which were for genuine fires.
However, FIA 's chief executive Graham Ellicott has explained that under the terms of the Localism Bill, DSFRS will only be able to charge for AFAs that have malfunctioned or been improperly installed.
With research by London Fire Brigade suggesting that only two per cent of false alarms are attributable to equipment malfunctions or incorrect installation, it is unlikely that these charges will become widespread.
The vast majority of false alarms come about as a result of management issues with systems and the FIA commends Devon and Somerset's approach to reducing false alarms in the first place by working with the Responsible Person and fire alarm maintenance companies.
Mr Ellicott said: "The FIA 's view is that if a charge has to be made then it should be levied upon the firm involved and not upon the Alarm Receiving Centre that passed on the signal.
"If the latter occurs then it is likely that the ARCs will disconnect and not pass signals at all and this would be a disaster for UK fire safety."
He also expressed disappointment that there has not been a consistent approach from English fire and rescue services even though the issue could have a major impact on businesses across the country, criticising the "postcode lottery approach" to charging, with DSFRS apparently the first service to put such sanctions in place.
"The FIA will continue to ask this question until it receives a coherent reasoned reply; to date this has not been the case," Mr Ellicott said.

40 firefighters tackle blaze at Manchester college

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03 Jul 2012 @fireindustry

More than 40 firefighters were on hand to put out a large fire at an international business college for foreign students in the centre of Manchester on July 1st.
The blaze took hold of the Global Vision building on Charles Street just before midnight on Sunday, with the "well developed" flames completely destroying the ground floor, according to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
An investigation is now being conducted by fire and police officers into the cause of the outbreak. The rest of the building's five floors suffered smoke damage, although there were no reported injuries.
The fire service stated: "Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus went into the building and searched all five floors while jets, hose reels and an aerial platform were used to extinguish the fire.
"The fire was brought under control in the early hours and crews remained on the scene overnight."
Several people posted photos of the blaze on social media site Twitter.

Restaurant fire caused by electrical fault

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02 Jul 2012 @fireindustry

A street in Sheffield needed to be cordoned off on Sunday afternoon (July 1st) after a fire broke out in the basement of a popular restaurant.
London Road was closed to traffic and pedestrians while customers at The Noodle Inn were evacuated, after smoke was seen coming from its cellar.
The Star reports that three fire engines from Central and Mansfield Road stations arrived to seal off the street and the blaze was tackled with a powder fire extinguisher.
A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue told the newspaper that the cause of the fire was believed to be a faulty electrical power supply box located in the restaurant's basement.
They were able to put out the flames before any significant damage was caused to the building.
Under the terms of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person for restaurants and other commercial buildings must undertake regular fire risk assessments to ensure that equipment is not faulty.
It is also imperative to ensure that there are clear procedures in place for if a fire does break out and that staff are made fully aware of these plans.

Ink shop fire caused by electrical fault

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03 Jul 2012 @fireindustry

A raging fire that consumed a shop in West Lothian is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.
Dozens of firefighters were called to the commercial premises of Capital Cartridges in Bathgate yesterday morning (July 2nd), with staff in nearby properties evacuated and roads closed.
The BBC reports that the two-storey building contained printing chemicals, which would have added fuel to the fire.
Four hoses were used by firefighters, who checked the roof space as they attempted to bring the flames under control.
According to the news provider, a representative of Capital Cartridges, which owns several other establishments in Scotland, said they were "devastated" by the fire.
Owners of commercial properties can mitigate the risk of accidental fires from electrical faults by regularly testing all equipment and conducting a thorough fire risk assessment.
In workplaces where hazardous chemicals are used, the Duty Holder should ensure they are being stored in a way that diminishes any risk of fire.