Bowmer & Kirkland is to reclad a block of flats in Milton Keynes after fire building fire safety concerns while it contests a legal dispute with Crest Nicholson according to constructionnews.co.uk.
The developer, a former freeholder of the site, has…
Firefighters are pleading with Londoners not to cause a balcony blaze which could displace hundreds of people as lockdown continues and the weather improves.
London Fire Brigade is issuing…
Leaseholders living in one of Birmingham’s tallest high rise towers are facing fire safety issues resulting in a building insurance hike of more than 1,200% as they scramble to secure insurance cover for their building with just a matter of days before their current policy runs out according to Inside Housing.
Brindley House -…
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP (2 April 2020) has announced ambitious steps to further reform the building fire safety system with the biggest changes in a generation to ensure residents are safe in their homes.
New measures announced today include mandatory…
Bosses behind the Campanile Hotel, in Fenny Stratford, have been ordered to pay £220k for fire safety breaches according to Milton Keynes FM.
It has been revealed that the Campanile Hotel in Fenny Stratford, owned by Milcardar Ltd, was operating for six weeks (from June to August 2018) despite having no functioning fire detection and alarm system.
Milcardar Ltd, and…
It saw a cladding system made of ‘standard grade’ HPL and phenolic foam insulation subjected to a large-scale fire test known as a BS 8414 – the official means of assessing compliance with building regulations according to Inside…
South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority (SYFR) are set to launch an ‘urgent’, independent review into Sheffield’s student accommodation sector, in order to…
(Image: Woking Fire Station/Facebook)
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service has been rated “inadequate” at efficiently keeping people safe, an official report has revealed.
Findings from an inspection carried out over the summer found “serious concerns” about the performance of the service in keeping people safe.
In particular, a reliance on firefighters working overtime was putting crew…
Dozens of firefighters were called to the The Old Vicarage Nursing Home in Pandy Tudur, near Llanwrst, and rescued seven trapped residents.
The cause of a huge blaze at a nursing home from which seven trapped residents had to be rescued by firefighters has been discovered.
More than 30 firefighters were called to The Old Vicarage Nursing Home in Pandy Tudur , near Llanrwst , after…
“We will re-open.”
Those are the defiant words of the boss of a Hampshire hotel, ravaged by a devastating fire.
Last night, the Potters Heron, near Romsey, went up in flames.
READ: Firefighters battle blaze at well-known Hampshire hotel
WATCH: Dramatic video of Hampshire Hotel up in flames
As many as 25 fire engines and 120 firefighters from across the county battled the blaze at the hotel – also used to host events.
It is being described by fire chiefs as…
One resident dies and another person in critical condition after blaze at Stevenage care home
An elderly man has died and another person is critically injured after a fire thought to have been caused by an explosion at a residential care home.
Emergency crews were called to the Woodlands View in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, at 4.30pm on Saturday after a “minor explosion” caused by an oxygen cylinder. Eight fire engines were sent to…
The growth of home-sharing rental properties is causing fire safety concerns, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has told BBC Radio 5 live Investigates.
Tourism industry leaders said a “Grenfell-style incident” could happen unless inspections were enforced.
MPs have called for all properties used for short-term lets to be registered.
The Short Term Accommodation Association said hosts are “strongly recommended” to follow safety guidance.
An NFCC spokesperson said fire and rescue services are “not…
Fire crews were called at 21:20 BST on Friday, with eight fire engines and 40 firefighters attending at its height.
North Yorkshire Fire Service said there had been “major damage” to the centre and the roof had collapsed.
Three crews remained at the scene on…
A report prepared as part of the police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire has uncovered calamitous deficiencies in the installation of the windows, cavity barriers and cladding system, and their failure to meet building regulations according to the Evening Standard.
The 210-page…
Firefighters are urging people to make sure they have working smoke alarms in their properties after a fire at a block of flats in Station Road in Harlesden.
A bedsit on the first floor of the building was destroyed by fire and the remainder of the property was damaged by heat and smoke.
One man from the flat above escaped to a roof and was rescued via a ladder by firefighters. Another 10…
London Fire Brigade is calling for landlords to retrofit sprinklers in all high rise blocks and other buildings with vulnerable residents.
The call comes as Waltham Forest Council pledges to install sprinklers in all 61 of its high priority blocks – something the Brigade is keen to see other boroughs replicate.
Fire Chiefs are also calling for all new high rise buildings to be fitted with sprinklers as standard.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) put Wensum Valley Medical Practice, which is spread across three city sites, into special measures following the visit.
But Norwich’s health authority said a major programme of improvements had since been launched at the West Earlham…
A woman has been treated for smoke inhalation after being rescued from a fire in a block of flats in Bedford according to ITV.com.
Firefighters were called to the 12-storey Beckett Court building on Thursday evening at shortly after 8pm and smoke was seen coming from the top of the building although the blaze was actually on the ground floor.
The high-rise building in Roise Street contains 68 flats.
A woman from the top floor of the building was…
Cladding on six apartment buildings at a privately-owned site in Cardiff Bay has failed fire safety tests according to BBC.co.uk.
Extra precautions are being taken at Prospect Place, following the tests introduced after the Grenfell Tower disaster.
Warwick Estates, which manages the site, said residents were being kept “fully up to date”.
It is the first private development in Wales known to have not passed the tests.
The Prospect Place development, which was built by Bellway Homes but halted for a period…
A total of 228 high-rise buildings are fitted with cladding are considered to be ‘at risk’ and do not meet fire safety standards, official tests ordered by the Government in the wake of the Grenfell fire have concluded according to ITV.com.
The latest series of “whole-building tests” have now finished, announced the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
Different measures have been put in place at buildings found to be a fire hazard, most of which are owned by…
Cladding on London’s newest hospital building failed fire safety checks ordered after the Grenfell Tower disaster, the NHS revealed today according to The Evening Standard.
The £160 million Guy’s Cancer Centre opened last September as part of a vision to develop world-class cancer care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS trust.
Initial investigations raised no concerns but subsequent checks found that rain screen panels on the 14-storey tower were made of aluminium composite…
Dozens of tower blocks have failed a new safety test that was more thorough than previous checks in the wake of the Grenfell Tower blaze, it has been reported according to The Telegraph. Cladding and insulation used in at least 60 high-rises are said to have not passed the latest inspection, the BBC said. Fire safety at high-rise buildings has been thrust into the spotlight after at least 80 people died, many as they tried to escape, from…
Sprinklers in high-rise blocks, free replacements for faulty appliances, safety checks for every council high-rise home, restoring concierge staff and higher-standard fire assessments – these are all part of a £20million package of Fire Safety Plus measures being launched by Hammersmith & Fulham Counciltoday.
Following the Grenfell Tower fire last month, H&F Council has been reviewing fire safety across the borough. “The fire in Kensington has made one thing clear – just meeting minimum fire standards is not enough,”…
A property company was today ordered to pay fines and costs of £460,000 for fire safety breaches at a retirement home where an elderly woman died in a fire according to Surrey News.
FirstPort Limited, formerly Peverel Management Services, was prosecuted by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service following a fire at Gibson Court, Hinchley Wood in September 2011.
Charges were brought against Almondsbury Care Ltd, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, after a routine inspection of staff accommodation.
District judge David Taylor told Taunton Magistrates’ Court that the company knew its premises had a whole range of “abundantly obvious” failures.
Fire safety officers said the company had…
A London council expressed its “sincere regret” as it pleaded guilty to four charges relating to a tower block fire which killed six people according to bbc.co.uk.
Three women and three young children were killed in the 2009 blaze at Lakanal House in Camberwell, Southwark Crown Court heard.
The fire started due an electrical fault with a television.
Southwark Council pleaded guilty to charges relating to safety breaches and must pay £300,000 costs.
The council will be sentenced on Tuesday,…
When appraising your fire alarm system and the levels of risks associated with a fire breaking out at your premises it is important to consider whether or not the history of false alarms is important or not.
If there is a history of many false alarms at your premises it can have a massive impact on the effectiveness of fire safety procedures overall, whether your premises are residential or commercial, and it could point to a larger problem in the…
A luxury spa based inside Debenhams’ flagship store in Manchester city centre has been told to tighten up its fire safety policies after a blaze involving two tumble dryers led to an emergency evacuation according to Manchester Evening News.
Shoppers were told to leave the Market Street department store as firefighters raced to the scene.
The blaze, which is now being treated as accidental, broke out in Spa Urban Oasis on the mezzanine floor. It was quickly extinguished but Greater…
A Cumbrian hospital has been forced to close to new admissions after fire safety concerns. Ellerbeck ward at Workington Hospital is not admitting patients after a specialist report highlighted issues that would limit the ability to evacuate the first floor ward. A specialist report commissioned by Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and received recently, highlighted previously unknown issues relating to the construction and design of the building.
At least 11 people have died in a fire at a four-star hotel in the Pakistani city of Karachi.
The fire began in the kitchen on the ground floor of the Regent Plaza hotel, before spreading through the building, local media report.
More than 70 people were injured as the fire trapped guests with few escape options, forcing some to fashion makeshift ropes from bedroom…
The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (as amended 1999) requires provision to be made for the safe evacuation of people from a building in the event of an emergency situation.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 require that disabled people including students…
The Fire Marshall is the designated person(s) within a company that is responsible for a number of tasks related to fire safety. Fire safety training is crucial to developing the understanding of this role for those who have been assigned it, and should be regularly updated to ensure they are on top of the situation and protecting lives.
The main duties of a Fire Marshall are to:
When fire strikes it is important to get out of the building as quickly as you can, in the safest possible manner. Knowing what to do in an emergency could make the difference to your survival, and that of others you are taking care of, so it is an important aspect of your home and work that you need to place a keen interest in.
Test Alarms – One of the first things you can do is to test the…
If you are the manager or owner of a business you have to take fire safety seriously. There are a number of things you can, and should, do to get the ball rolling in terms of assessing the fire hazards and risks in your building.
Identify Hazards – Potential ignition sources are those areas of heat that could ignite other materials. If you identify scorch marks on furniture and fittings, or plug sockets this is a sign or a previous…
Student accommodation is always one of the types of property that is most at risk of suffering from a fire. This is down to the fact that there are many people living within one building, for many it is the first time they will live independently away from home and the type of lifestyle a typical student will live at first, lends itself to be a little bit riskier.
Here we take a look at fire safety in student accommodation…
Swan Pub Banbury Ltd and its director Mr Alan O’Donovan were together ordered to pay a total of £9,200 after they provided sleeping accommodation to members of the public, knowing the conditions were not acceptable and dangerous at The Swan Public House on South Bar Street in Banbury according to Banbury…
Two people were rescued by firefighters following a blaze at high-rise flats at Brewery Wharf on the edge of Leeds city centre. Crews from across the county were sent to the fire on the second floor of the Regent Quay flats, in Bowman Lane, at around 1pm yesterday (Nov 6) according to Yorkshire Evening Post.
A West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman, said: “The…
A south east London care home must pay more than £40,000 for breaking fire safety laws after a blaze left an elderly woman on life support according to The Evening Standard.
Six elderly residents had to be rescued after the fire ripped through the first floor wing of the care home in Penge back in 2013.
Three elderly residents were rushed to hospital by paramedics with one woman spending more than a month in hospital with severe smoke inhalation.
If you are the landlord of a HMO you have certain legal responsibilities in terms of fire safety measures. Here we take a look at what you need to know if you own a House in Multiple Occupancy.
Firstly, let’s define a property that falls into the category of HMO:
A Whitby restaurant owner has been fined £50,000 after he admitted not complying with six fire safety regulations. Azad Hussain, former company director of Kam Thai (Whitby) Ltd in Church Street, pleaded guilty at York Crown Court.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service carried out a fire safety inspection at the restaurant on August 8 and found a number of serious fire…
The owner of an Indian restaurant in Wokingham has been fined more than £7,500 after admitting nine breaches of fire safety regulations according to Getreading.co.uk.
Rabeya Bhuiyan, who owns the Far East Trading Company, which runs the Taj Mahal in Denmark Street, has been fined £7,511.51 for serious breaches of fire safety.
He appeared before Reading…
Government ministers have been heavily criticised after quietly abandoning the requirement for fire sprinklers to be fitted in new schools, in what has been called a “retrograde step” by fire chiefs according to The Independent.
An update to the Department of Education’s (DfE) Design in Fire Safety in Schools stated that “Building Regulations do not require the installation of fire sprinkler suppression…
The fire brigade is urging home owners to have life-saving smoke alarms fitted as new figures show they were missing in a third of fatal fires according to ITV.com.
The largest report into such incidents in Yorkshire shows that in…
University Hospital Coventry opened just a decade ago but…
A company has been given a £12,000 fine after confessing to a series of breaches in housing legislation, including fire safety, in a King’s Lynn property. The Pure Portland Management Ltd case has been described as “alarming” by council officials, who are urging property owners to ensure they are fully aware of their legal responsibilities.
In a hearing that was held on Wednesday in front of King’s Lynn magistrates, the company pleaded guilty to a total of as…
A LANDLORD has been jailed after “cutting corners” and deliberately putting his “wealth” before the “safety of tenants” according to grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.
He was “wholly money-orientated” and “woefully inadequate” in his duties – and it was only by “good fortune” that nobody died in a serious fire at one of his properties.
He lied to police and risked the lives of his tenants by failing to have a suitable fire risk assessment, a court heard. Keith Newsum, 54, of Humberston Avenue,…
Children and parents are being warned of the dangers of kids charging up their mobile phones on their beds, as it could result in the sheets catching fire. Research has shown that three out of every four youngsters in the United Kingdom potentially have fire hazards in their bedroom, with an average of ten electrical items per room.
53 percent of kids admit to leaving tablets, laptops or mobile phones on their beds while they are charging up,…
The owner of a Milton Keynes HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) and her husband have been fined £27,485.08 for serious fire safety breaches. Mrs Mahin Begum Choudhury and her husband, Mr Ajjequr Rahman Irshad, were given the order in Milton Keynes Magistrates Court during sentencing on the 10th of July, after having previously pleaded guilty to ten charges apiece.
The charges, relating to offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order of 2005, are in regard to their…
Oxford Council has undertaken a series of operations targeting unsafe Houses in Multiple Occupation. One of the three letting units that were targeted was situated on a property’s third floor, over a ground level restaurant. 66 year old Abdul Saleem Chaudhry was prosecuted after his Shezan restaurant, located in Oxford Street, was visited by environmental health officers from the Council back in January.
The officers discovered that three of the restaurant staff were residing on the third floor,…
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