One of the country’s biggest care home providers has today been ordered to pay £170,622 for contravening fire safety laws following a fire in which a woman died.
Anchor Trust which runs Rose Court on Lower Road in Bermondsey, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 at Woolwich Crown Court. This case comes soon after the conviction of another care home provider in Croydon, in May 2014.
The lady in question, who suffered from dementia, died following a fire in her room at the home for elderly people on 26 March 2010. Investigators determined that the fire was caused by her nightwear coming into contact with a naked flame.
The investigation found that although the general fire risk assessment for the home identified smoking as a risk, further assessment specifically in respect of the woman had not been carried out as required by Anchor Trust’s own policies. As a result measures to reduce the risk had not been properly considered or put into place.
During 2013/14 there were 527 fires in London’s care homes and sheltered accommodation, with two people dying and 34 people being injured.
*Source: London Fire Brigade
Please note: commercial buildings, non-domestic and multi-occupancy premises in England and Wales are already forced to undertake a ‘suitable and sufficient’ fire risk assessment carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
While the overwhelming majority of premises do this, if the assessment is carried out to an insufficient extent, the responsible person can face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.