Fire Industry News for June 2023

A residential structure fire was reported in the 500 Block of Riverside Avenue, Sugarloaf, at approximately 4:05 am, on Friday, March 25, 2022. Upon arrival, fire crews observed smoke showing from the second-story bedroom window. Crews In offensive Attack Mode Crews quickly went into offensive attack mode and were able to extinguish the fire within approximately 10 minutes. Fire crews remained on the scene for an hour to ensure completed extinguishment. There was one occupant at home who self-...

An Isle of Man care home has been fined £46,000 for health and safety breaches after a 95-year-old died as a result of a fire in 2019. Elder Healthcare, which runs the care home, also provides emergency assistance to residents in the adjacent apartments. The court heard Elder Healthcare was not to blame for the death of Olive Renecle, who lived in a sheltered flat connected to the care home in Douglas. However, Deemster Graeme Cook said ‘shortcomings’ were found in f...

The Senior Coroner for Hertfordshire, Geoffrey Sullivan, has taken the step of submitting a Prevention of Future Deaths report concerning care home sprinkler systems and building standards to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, following the conclusion of his inquest into the deaths of two women at a care home fire in 2017.  Resistive heating Resistive heating in the electrical wiring of a linen cupboard caused the blaze that quickly spread thro...

Pioneering trade bodies representing fire protection, the fit-out and interiors sector, and plasterboard manufacturers have come together to warn of the dangers of passing cables and pipes through firewalls used for compartments in buildings. The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), the Finishes and Interior Sector (FIS), and the Gypsum Products Development Association (GPDA) have joined forces behind a labeling initiative to provide instant guidance on what to do when considering...

Footage filmed from nearby buildings, and shared on social media, showed the fire raging and starting to spread from a flat on the 17th floor of the building. The alarm was raised shortly after 4 pm, and over 125 fire personnel responded, with crews from Whitechapel, Shoreditch, Dowgate, Bethnal Green, Dockhead, Old Kent Road and Islington all in attendance. The fire was brought under control by 7 pm after London Fire Brigade had mobilized a 64-meter turntable ladder - the tallest firefighting...

On 9 February 2022, Northern Gas Networks Ltd was sentenced for safety breaches after a fire and gas explosion at residential premises in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, resulted in the death of the homeowner. fire and explosion Leeds Crown Court heard that, on 11 February 2019, West Yorkshire Fire Service was called to a fire and explosion in Huddersfield Road, Mirfield. The occupier, Elena Frunza, was discovered during a search of the property, whilst it was still on fire. She was taken to Pinder...

The UK’s national fire safety organization has announced the appointment of two new Executive Directors to their Board, following their first meeting of 2022 in January. female representation Jo Griffin, Director of HR and Support Services, and Claire Wright, Director of Training and Digital Services, are the first female representatives the FPA Board has seen in its history. With a combined service of almost 25 years, Jo and Claire’s commitment to the FPA has not gone unnoticed....

The Mayor of London has launched a public consultation on draft guidance that puts fire safety at the heart of the planning process for new developments. Sadiq Khan has a strategic planning role for London and his London Plan sets out guidance for development and building across the city. He said that existing national building regulations are not fit for purpose and the progress of reform is too slow. National building regulations The Mayor is consulting on London Plan Guidance relating to f...

The Fire Protection Association and RISCAuthority has submitted its response to BSI regarding the major change planned to sprinkler standards in the UK following a 2 month window for comments. Jonathan O'Neill OBE, Managing Director of the FPA, responded to the proposed changes to BS EN 12845-1 and said: “There is major change planned to sprinkler standards in the UK, which is being driven by the European standards making body CEN. The window for commenting on BS EN 12845-1 Fixed firefig...

Following an exclusive dialogue, Hempel has completed the acquisition of Khimji Paints LLC. This is Hempel’s first acquisition in the Decorative segment in the Middle East, supporting its strategy to double Hempel by 2025. Hempel’s Double Impact strategy will be realized through both acquisitions and organic growth, as well as ambitious investments in sustainability, innovation, and digitalization. Khimji Paints Khimji Paints is a paint and coatings manufacturer in Oman, with a st...

The Housing Select Committee is encouraging written evidence to help its scrutiny of the government’s approach to getting developers to fund the costs of remediating building safety defects. Since the government changed its approach to funding the cost of fixing building safety defects by going after the developers and manufacturers of construction products such as cladding and insulation, the Housing Select Committee will look at the effectiveness and impact of its approach. funding arr...

More than half a million COVID-19 vaccinations have been given by fire and rescue services staff, according to a report by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). As reported, the figure as of now is at 510,540 – a testament to the hard work from all involved, and will only increase as fire services continue their efforts to support the national program. Additional vaccination sites It is estimated up to 2,500 members of staff are supporting this vital work to get everyone eligible pro...

Ten people from across the fire sector have been named in the New Year Honors 2022 lists, in recognition of their services. The honors system recognizes extraordinary people, who in accordance with the list's criteria, ‘made achievements in public life and committed themselves to serving and helping the UK.’ Ongoing impactful work The FPA would like to extend their heartfelt thanks and congratulations to everyone named in the New Year Honours list for 2022, for their ongoing impa...

A landlord has been found guilty of a series of fire safety failings that left residents with only one option to escape a fire: via a restaurant with a metal shutter that was closed at night. Inspection London Fire Brigade inspectors visited the takeaway restaurant on New North Road in Islington after concerns were raised by one of the tenants and the local council.  There was residential accommodation on the first and second floors of the building with the takeaway on the ground floor....

A new survey has been launched by employers and industry bodies to help support the creation of a new fire and emergency apprenticeship scheme for Wales. competence and qualification Pat Allen, Chair of the FESS Employer Group, said of the survey, "In recent years there have been several developments designed to raise competence and qualification levels in the Fire and Security Industries." He adds, "In England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland these have included the introduction of specialist...

In the latest episode of Assembly Point, Howard Passey, director of operations at the FPA, Dennis Davis, executive officer at the Fire Sector Federation, Adrian Dobson, secretary of the RIBA EAG, and Peter Caplehorn, CEO at the Construction Products Association look back at the key milestones and turning points in fire safety in the UK, as well as looking ahead to the next 75 years.  Episode 10 of the podcast marks the 75th anniversary of the FPA and began with a look back at significant...

A London property management company has been fined in excess of £80,000 for serious fire safety deficiencies in an Islington block of flats. London Fire Brigade inspectors made two visits to the five-story building on Danbury Street in Islington, which consists of more than 40 self-contained flats. The building is managed by Eurolets (UK) Limited. Fire Safety Order breaches The inspectors found severe breaches of the Fire Safety Order, including a lack of fire extinguishers, a non-func...

As a direct result of the findings of the Hackitt Report and subsequent government focus on the recommendations for the wider fire safety environment, FIREX International, the UK’s fire industry tradeshow, has taken the decision to fully commit to supporting and promoting third-party approvals, independent accreditation, and competency for construction products and services. This will mean all exhibiting companies with relevant fire protection or prevention systems and materials will need...

The Brigade currently has just 24 fire safety advisers and nearly 200 Inspecting Officers, but with the pressure to inspect high-rise buildings, it must increase its workforce. The Brigade will use part of the £9.4 million it received from the Home Office to improve its fire protection activities. It has already used some of this funding to create a Building Risk Review team to review the 8,000 high-rise residential blocks in London. This work is due to be completed by December this year....

The Environment Agency secured a restriction order against a recycling firm, after it failed to comply with fire regulations despite numerous warnings about storing hazardous waste at a site near local homes. Shee Recycling in the North East town of Birtley stored large oil drums containing hazardous waste, cutting equipment, batteries, and fuel canisters, all of which were major fire hazards. Environment Agency secures restriction order The site is close to other commercial properties, the e...

The London Fire Brigade successfully prosecuted a West London building owner, after major breaches of fire safety law were discovered, following a major blaze three years ago. On 9 August 2018, firefighters were called to a fire at a flat above a shop on Queensway in Bayswater, West London. It took 70 firefighters and ten fire engines to control the blaze that ravaged half of the four-story building. Two women were rescued from the building and treated for smoke inhalation at the scene. Absenc...

Fire Door Safety Week research reveals more than one in ten renters fear that raising fire safety concerns will affect their tenancy. There is cause to complain: a third of all renters have experienced fire doors being damaged or propped open and a quarter noticed a broken fire alarm in the last 12 months alone. With renters also concerned about whether reporting issues will even lead to them being fixed, the Fire Door Safety Week campaign is calling for fire safety to be urgently prioritized a...

Module 5 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry focuses on firefighting, with opening statements setting out a detailed analysis of operational, cultural, and leadership shortcomings of the London Fire Brigade. The Inquiry is interested in how the London Fire Brigade trained and prepared its staff for responding to fires in all buildings as construction methods have changed over the decades. Different legal firms Module 5 began with opening statements from three different legal firms, representing the...

The Fire Standards Board for England has released a new Fire Standard to help fire and rescue services address capacity and skills when it comes to inspecting fire safety in non-residential buildings. The announcement at the National Fire Chiefs Council conference in Warwick comes after an extensive consultation process. eighth Fire Standard This is the eighth Fire Standard to be published and it is an overarching standard for Fire Protection with further standards relating to more specific a...

Steve Emery shares his thoughts on what conservation professionals should put into fire strategies for historic buildings. In the latest edition of the Built Environment Journal published by RICS, the issue of fire safety in historic buildings is explored by the University of Oxford’s fire officer. Fire risk assessment He takes the view of the conservation professional and how they need to look at historic buildings through a fire safety lens to avoid the experience of high-profile fire...

The Scottish Government has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of new fire safety laws that mean all homes must have interlinked smoke alarms from February 2022. The Building and Fire Safety Ministerial Working Group was established after the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 to review Scotland’s existing building and fire safety regulatory frameworks. Their work has resulted in several changes in Scotland including this new approach to smoke alarms. New regulations New regulations un...

Safety reporting body - CROSS-UK published a report earlier this month highlighting the fire risks from poorly maintained green walls, as changes to fire safety law mean that the external walls will become part of fire risk assessments.  Green walls have been a popular way of making urban areas more attractive, contribute to biodiversity and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Close-down procedures This new report from CROSS-UK discusses how building close-down procedures that...

Women in Fire Safety is seeking nominations for its inaugural awards recognizing excellence in the fire safety industry. The Women in Fire Safety Awards honor the outstanding achievements and contributions of all women within the fire safety community. Founded by Chloe Vickery and Kate Blake, the awards strive to address the historical gender imbalance and champion a more progressive industry. More progressive industry They said: “We hope to encourage the next generation to see fire saf...

A draft of PAS 8673 is available for public comment and contains competence requirements for the new role of Building Safety Manager. This PAS is based on the recommendations and core competence criteria set out in BSI Flex 8670. It supports the introduction of the Building Safety Manager that is contained in the Building Safety Bill currently going through Parliament. PAS 8673 The BSI has facilitated the development of PAS 8673 and it is sponsored by MHCLG. Brian Atkin is cited as the techni...

The newly created not-for-profit organization, the Building Safety Alliance will deliver a publicly accessible register of certified Building Safety Managers in a move that will increase confidence in the competence of these new duty holders prescribed in the Building Safety Bill. Emerging from the working group activity of the Competence Steering Group, the Building Safety Alliance marks a significant step forward for establishing the role of a Building Safety Manager in higher risk buildings....