Fashion store owner fined for fire safety breaches

22 May 2012 . Thanks to Fire Industry Association


The owner of a Manchester fashion store has been fined for several fire safety breaches.

Appearing at Bury and Rochdale magistrates court on 17th May, Joel Lever, the owner of Mon Amie Studios in Prestwich, pleaded guilty to seven breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

It followed an inspection of the store in April 2011, which revealed that staff did not receive fire safety training, several exits were blocked with shutters or locked and fire extinguishers had not been tested.

Mr Lever was fined a total of £5,200 and ordered to pay costs of £3,178 for the offences.

Peter O'Reilly, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's director of prevention and protection, claimed that the fire safety failings "could have proved fatal".

"Mr Lever was responsible for undertaking a fire risk assessment for his shop and failed to do so, putting staff and customers at great risk," he said.

"The locking of fire doors is totally unacceptable and common sense dictates that routes to and through fire exits should be kept clear."