A hotel owner has been fined £210,000 following the outbreak of a fire, the subsequent investigation of which unveiled a string of breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The case, heard at Blackfriars Crown Court, was a landmark hearing for the UK fire and rescue service, as it is believed to be the first time that a jury – rather than magistrates or an individual judge – has convicted a defendant under the RRO.
Following the fire, London Fire Brigade fire safety inspectors visited the hotel and raised a number of serious fire safety concerns. These included defective fire doors, blocked escape routes and no smoke alarms in some of the hotel’s bedrooms.
