Buckinghamshire company fined over fire safety

Scafell Securities Limited has been fined £4,000, plus a £50 victim surcharge, and ordered to pay costs of £10,000 after pleading guilty to failing to address fire safety issues at Berkeley Court, in Coley Avenue, Reading.

Royal Berkshire Fire Authority (RBFA) carried out an inspection of the block of flats in November 2011 where significant flaws in it’s fire safety regulations were uncovered.

Slough Magistrates Court heard on Thursday, March 13, that Scafell Securities owns half of Berkeley Court and was found to have inadequate fire protection for flat entrance doors opening into fire escape routes. Storage material was also found blocking escape routes on the ground, first and second floors.

David Walden, RBFA’s fire safety legal support manager said: “Scafell Securities Limited failed to comply with fire safety regulations and, by doing so, placed the residents of these flats at serious risk of injury or even death. One of RBFA’s responsibilities is to enforce fire safety regulations in Berkshire and we are duty bound to bring cases such as this before the courts”.

“We hope that this case sends a clear message to businesses that complying with fire safety legislation is not optional and that failure to do so can result not only in prosecution, but also in financial penalties.”