A prosecution by the London Fire Brigade has led to a company being ordered to pay fines and costs totaling £17,000 after pleading guilty to four breaches of fire safety rules including failing to maintain both a fire alarm and a fire door.
Last April a fire broke out in a first floor flat above a café in King Street, Hammersmith which required eight fire engines and 40 firefighters to deal with the blaze.
According to the brigade fire and smoke spread quickly “because the fire doors and fire detection system had not been properly maintained within the property” meaning the only means of escape was blocked trapping four residents.
Although three of the occupants were able to escape from the building a fourth had to be rescued by fire fighters.
Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety Regulation Max Hood said: “Businesses have to understand that they must take their responsibility for fire safety precautions seriously. If they don’t we will use the full force of the law.”
