SHELL FINED £300,000 OVER FIRE SAFETY BREACHES

Todays Guardian reports that Shell International was fined £300,000 yesterday over deficiencies in fire safety at the Shell Centre in central London, London Fire Brigade (LFB) said. The company was also ordered to pay £45,000 in costs. It pleaded guilty at Inner London crown court to three breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It was the largest fine imposed under the measure. The LFB prosecution followed two small fires in three weeks at the Shell Centre on York Road, Waterloo. Fire officers found extensive breaches, including blocked escape routes and fire exits, defective fire doors and excessive fire loading.