Crews tackle blaze at Edinburgh pub

Crews tackle blaze at Edinburgh pub

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17 Apr 2012 From FIA

Fire crews have tackled a blaze which broke out in a pub in Edinburgh yesterday evening (16th April).
Around fifty firefighters were called to the Volunteer Arms in Leith Walk just after 7pm after a fire began in the basement and ground floor of the pub.
Seven pumping appliances and supporting vehicles, as well as a height appliance, attended the incident as officers in breathing apparatus battled the flames. Crews are remaining on the scene to dampen down any small pockets of fire in the building.
There are currently no reported casualties.
A 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in Scotland under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.
If this fire risk assessment is judged to have not been carried out to a suitable extent, the Duty Holder for the establishment can face up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine.
The road was closed while firefighting operations were taking place, with police diverting traffic away from the area at the foot of The Walk.

Fire-hit Glasgow warehouse to be demolished

Fire-hit Glasgow warehouse to be demolished

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17 Apr 2012 From FIA

A warehouse in Glasgow is set to be demolished after suffering irreparable damage in a fire last week.
Fire crews were called to Alfa Wholesale Cash and Carry in the Finneston area of Glasgow just after 8.30pm on Friday (13th April).
Around 30 firefighters tackled the flames for several hours before it was eventually brought under control at around 3.20am on the following morning.
A spokesman for the council said: "The basement of the property was gutted in the fire, while the building control team have also confirmed the building will be demolished as a result.
"It is our understanding the owner's insurers are on-site looking at taking care of the demolition of the building."
A 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in Scotland under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.
If this fire risk assessment is judged to have not been carried out to a suitable extent, the Duty Holder for the establishment can face up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine.

Fife community centre damaged in blaze

Fife community centre damaged in blaze

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18 Apr 2012 from FIA

A community centre in Fife has been damaged after a fire broke out in the premises late last night (17th April).
Fire crews were called to the Bowhill Club on Station Road, Cardenden, at 11.30pm by local police officers, reports STV.
Firefighters were able to control the flames, which started in the basement, in just over an hour before leaving the site.
A spokesman for Fife Fire and Rescue Service revealed that firefighters were required to remove gas cylinders from the building as part of the operation.
Nobody was injured in the blaze, with the extent of the damage currently unknown.
A 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in Scotland under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.
If this fire risk assessment is judged to have not been carried out to a suitable extent, the Duty Holder for the establishment can face up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine.
An investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire.

UK Fire Service College sale slammed by union

UK Fire Service College sale slammed by union

My comments in italics at the bottom of the article.

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16 Apr 2012

The government's decision to sell the UK Fire Service College is "outrageous", according to a union.
Earlier this month, fire and rescue minister Bob Neill announced that the college would be sold to the private sector in order to guarantee its future.
However, Prospect, which represents more than 70 staff at the Gloucestershire-based institution, has criticised the move due to the potential effect it would have on staff.
Union official Philippa Childs said: "Our members are worried about being transferred out of the public sector, not least because of the potential impact on their pay, pensions and other terms and conditions."
The union revealed that it used to be mandatory for all fire services to use the college for training and claimed that problems had occurred when brigades were given the chance to use alternative private training providers.
"It is outrageous that a national resource such as this should be privatised and thus subject to market forces which rely on making a profit in order to function," Ms Childs added.
The Fire Service College has been run as a trust since 1992 but has recently encountered financial issues - prompting the government to sell the 500-acre site.

The Fire Service College was once hailed as the best training facility in the world. The creme de la creme. Its downward spirral started when Brigades throughout the UK stopped using the Courses provided and had Regional Training Centres built.
At one time all Fire Officers would behave in exactly the same way in the same scenario. Not now.

 In Fire Safety this is highlighted by the fact that not only do different F & RS expect or ask for different standards but often induvidual Officers vary in their experience and expected standards.
I spent many happy years at the College and met many Staff both uniformed and "civillian" who were at the top of their field and this ensured a high quality of training.

It is a sad time for the UK Fire Service when this is allowed to happen.

Best of luck to the Staff and I wholeheartedly support them in their endeavours to keep their terms & conditions.

Does this Heading mislead?

I have yet to find a Fire Alarm linked to an escape door. I suspect the alarm disabled was a security alarm which can be over-ridden by staff by use of a fob. If this is the case this is really shoddy reporting. I have tweeted to the Courier and await their reply.

     Published in the Courier : 17.04.12

Published online : 17.04.12 @ 03.14pm

Tribunal upholds sacking of care home worker suspected of disabling fire alarm to go for smoke

A Dundee care home officer was rightly sacked for smoking on duty and trying to cover up her behaviour, an employment tribunal has ruled.

• Published in the Courier : 17.04.12
• Published online : 17.04.12 @ 03.14pm

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Jacqueline Kettles was found to have opened a fire exit and disabled the alarm system at Turriff House to go outside for a cigarette.
She should have been inside looking after the frail elderly residents, many of whom have dementia and would wander outside if not stopped by the alarm system.
She denied she had been smoking and said she had gone outside as she wasn't feeling well, but the city council felt the evidence against her was ''overwhelming'' and they sacked her for gross misconduct.
Mrs Kettles alleged she had been unfairly dismissed as a social care officer at the premises in Rannoch Road.
The tribunal heard that on the morning of April 7 last year, a council personnel officer visited the home to investigate a separate disciplinary matter involving residents being left unsupervised for 20 minutes.
As she approached in her car, the personnel officer thought she saw a member of staff standing at a fire door in a secluded corner. As she got closer the staff member saw her and hurriedly went inside.
The personnel officer thought the incident was odd and told staff about it. She then went to the hallway of the Longwynd section and at the fire escape she smelled cigarettes.
The fire escape was alarmed and the alarm would have to be disabled to open the door without it going off.
She then saw Mrs Kettles but thought she ''ducked into a room'' to avoid her, behaviour she regarded as unusual.
Tribunal chairman Mr J Hendry said, in rejecting the claim unanimously, that they accepted the evidence that Mrs Kettles had been smoking. The evidence had been circumstantial but was ''compelling'' in the eyes of the employers.
Considering all the circumstances of the case, the tribunal could not say that dismissal was outwith the band of responses open to the city council, and so the dismissal was fair.

Hotel Owner Guilty of Fire Safety breaches

Although the Legislation differs in Scotland, these charges would still have been made under The Fire (Scotland) Act Part 3: 2005.

Sultan Chaudhry, owner of the White Lodge Hotel in Cheetham Street West in Salford has pleaded guilty to ten breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
Fire safety officers found several breaches at the hotel after a fire broke out on April 13th 2011.
A guest from the first-floor had to be rescued by firefighters despite the manager claiming that no one was inside the property at the time.
Officers discovered faulty Fire Alarms and empty Extinguishers. There was no emergency lighting and the escape routes were inadequate.
Officers also reported that there was no suitable Fire Risk Assessment and staff had not been trained in fire evacuation procedures. A prohibition notice was issued to prevent people from staying there.
Peter O’Reilly, from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “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.”
A full list of the charges brought against Mr Chaudhry can be found here.

From Assured Fire & Security

A "suspicious" fire at a recycling plant has caused £500,000 worth of damage.

A "suspicious" fire at a recycling plant has caused £500,000 worth of damage.
Crews were called to the site in Albert Street, Motherwell, at around 2.30am on Sunday. Equipment in the yard was well alight and firefighters worked to put out the flames.
The police and fire service carried out an investigation and discovered the blaze was started deliberately.

Strathclyde Police is now appealing for witnesses as it tries to track down the person responsible.
Detective Sergeant Scott Wilson said: "The premises is owned by a recycling company and the damage is mainly to a high-value piece of machinery which is estimated to be worth half a million pounds.

"Officers are checking the extensive CCTV from the yard and carrying out enquiries in the local area. Although this happened in the early hours of the morning, Albert St can have a steady stream of taxis and cars at this time, so it is possible that someone may have seen people or vehicles acting suspiciously in the area before the fire or making away at speed after the incident."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Wishaw CID on 01698 202 600 or through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

From STV News

Fire crews tackle blaze at Glasgow tenement

A fire has broken out in a flat in the West End.

05 April 2012 16:42 GMT

• Comment

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Fire: Crews are at the scene on Highburgh Road Pic: @Paauul

A fire has broken out in a tenement flat in Glasgow.
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue were called to Highburgh Road in the West End at around 4pm on Thursday where a second floor flat was on fire above the Tennent’s Bar.
A spokesman for SFR said: "Seven appliances are at a fire in Highburgh Road in Glasgow's West End. Ten firefighters in breathing apparatus are tackling the blaze."
Police and ambulance crews are also on scene.
Reports suggest that the blaze is spreading to the flat above.
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: "Highburgh Road is currently closed in both directions between Byres Road and Dowanhill Street.
"In addition, Byres Road is closed northbound at Highburgh Road. Delays are to be expected and road users are advised to avoid the area. Further bulletins will be issued when more information is known."
Police have cordoned off the corner of Highburgh Road and Byers Road and are diverting traffic in the area.
It is not yet known if anyone was inside the flat.

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   From STV

 

Relative of hotel fire victim calls for fire risk assessment changes

Relative of hotel fire victim calls for fire risk assessment changes

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02 Apr 2012

A man whose relatives were killed in a hotel blaze has called for changes in the way in which fire risk assessments are carried out.

John Hughes lost his mother, Monica, and brother, Peter, in the fire at Newquay's Penhallow Hotel in 2007.

It was found that the hotel had no sprinkler system fitted and Mr Hughes has raised concerns that hotels are allowed to conduct their own fire risk assessments.

Speaking at a seminar held at the Eden Project in Cornwall, Mr Hughes said: "You need hoteliers to be able to go to a body to ask: 'Where is an accredited person to do a fire risk assessment?'," quotes BBC News.

"Hoteliers can currently do fire risks themselves, and I think that's where it falls down."

Mr Hughes also called for accreditation bodies such as the AA to ensure that fire risk assessments are in place before they award stars.

A third person, Joan Harper, also died in the blaze, which occurred on August 18th.

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.

In Scotland The Duty Holder is responsible for the adequacy of the Fire Risk Assessment under The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
If the fire risk assessment is deemed to be carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person (Duty Holder) can face an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to two years.
From FIA

Guide to fire alarm category selection

From Fire Industry Association

·         Guide to fire alarm category selection - The FIA Technical Department has released a Guidance Document on the selection and specification of fire alarm category in accordance with BS 5839-1, It is available for download under Guides and Codes (in Resources & Technical Information). It is also available under featured downloads for a limited time

·         Fact File 51 - the FIA Technical Department has published Fact File 51, Government guidance on fire alarm systems. This Fact File provides guidance on what the English, Welsh and Scottish legislation recommend as the minimum category of fire alarm systems for various building occupancies. It is available to download from Resources, in Technical Information and for a limited time it can be downloaded from the FIA homepage under Featured Downloads

·         Fact File 52– the FIA Technical Department has published Fact File 52, The Equality Act 2010. This Fact File highlights some of the possible effects of the Equality Act on fire alarm and detection systems.  It is available to download from Resources, in Technical Information and for a limited time it can be downloaded from the FIA homepage under Featured Downloads

·         Fact File 53 - the FIA Technical Department has published Fact File 53, Guide to test and inspections. This  Fact File  highlights  the service intervals for fire  protections systems, their frequency, actions to be carried out and what should be recorded and where. It is available to download from Resources, in Technical Information and for a limited time it can be downloaded from the FIA homepage under Featured Downloads

Portable Fire Extinguishers Product Notices

From FIA

Industry News

·         Portable Fire Extinguishers Product Notices - Please click here to read a Safety Notice from CheckFire with regards to the Polished Aluminium Commander Range 2kg CO2 Extinguishers (Produce Code: COEX2P).  A product update has also been released by Tyco regarding the Failure of CO2 Aluminium Cylinders manufactured by FLN – click here to read.

Fire Extinguishers

·         FIA Call for Comment -BS 5306:8 Draft for Public Comment - Following a delay due to disagreement within the Standards Committee towards some suggested changes, BS5306:8 has now been released for Public Comment with a special note highlighting the main contentious item. The deadline for comments is 31st May 2012. Please read Martin Duggan’s letter to FIA portables members with a summary of the main issues identified by the FIA Portable Extinguisher committee’s and relevant Councils. We would appreciate your support; please email your comments using this comments form to Robert Thilthorpe

Landlord convicted after being found having ‘significant control’ for fire

Landlord convicted after being found having ‘significant control’ 04 April 2012

The landlord of a takeaway with sleeping accommodation has been convicted of breaching fire safety law after unsuccessfully claiming he did not have control of the premises.
Abdul Mannan was fined £2,400 and ordered to pay almost £5,800 costs after being found guilty of six offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 at Manchester City Magistrates Court on 9 March.
Fire safety officers from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service inspected the Shabna Tandoori in Eccles in April last year and found the first and second floors were being used as sleeping accommodation.
No fire risk assessment had been carried out and there was no fire alarm system in the building. The only stairs to the upper floors led directly from the kitchen and had combustible items on the staircase.
None of the doors in the building were fire doors and there was no emergency lighting.
Officers were so concerned about the safety of the workers sleeping upstairs they issued a prohibition notice on the upper floors.
Prosecutor Warren Spencer said: "Had a fire occurred within the kitchen, the only way out of the building for people upstairs would lead them directly into the fire."
Mr Mannan owned the building since 1986 but told the court that he was not responsible as another company had leased the building and takeaway business from him in April 2010 and only left in May 2011 – after the fire service inspection.
But district judge Robinson found Mr Mannan guilty of all charges. "You came across as an intelligent man; however in places you were not credible or reliable,” he said. “The lease you have gave you a significant degree of control, you knew people were sleeping there and you carry some responsibility."
Assistant chief fire officer, Peter O'Reilly, said: "This complete disregard for the law, and the subsequent danger to life these premises posed, meant we had no option but to seek action through the courts.
From info4fire
 

Landlord jailed for fire safety offences after fatal blaze

Landlord jailed for fire safety offences after fatal blaze

A landlord has been jailed for four months and ordered to pay £10,000 costs after pleading guilty to three offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Lookman Adeyemi – the landlord and registered owner of a house in multiple occupation in Milton Keynes where a mother and her daughter died in a fire in 2010 – was sentenced at Amersham Law Courts on 29 March. He had previously pleaded guilty on 8 March to failing to:

• make a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment
• ensure that, in the event of danger, it was possible for people to evacuate the premises as quickly and as safely as possible
• provide sufficient detectors and alarm at the premises.

Sentencing him, Justice Lord Parmoor said: "Although your failings did not cause the fire, the fact that one of your tenants and a child died is some indication of the risk run by your tenants, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"You were not dealing with rich people. These were people, some of whom did not have a job. You were dealing with a very vulnerable clientele."