Nursing Home Fined £200,000
Park Care Homes Limited, who owned and operated Ravenscroft Park Nursing Home in Barnet were fined £200,000 at Harrow Crown Court on Friday 16 February for contraventions of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
When fire crews arrived at the incident they found smoke coming from the first floor windows of the three storey building.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus discovered the fire in the basement and managed to stop it from spreading to other floors, but heavy smoke had spread throughout the entire property.
During the hearing the court were presented with statements from firefighters who attended the incident describing their actions and the difficulties they faced in evacuating people due to locked doors and smoke logged hallways.
Fifty six people including twelve members of staff had been in the premises when the fire started.
The Defendants had pleaded guilty to 13 Summonses. However, the Judge was of the opinion that the first two offences that 'The risk assessment was not suitable or sufficient' and that 'Appropriate procedures to be followed in the event of serious imminent danger to persons at work at Ravenscroft Park Nursing Home were not established' adequately demonstrated the seriousness of the offences and effectively comprised within them all the elements of the other 11 offences.
Barnet Borough Commander Nick O'Reilly said: 'This prosecution comes as a timely reminder of the importance of having both a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment and Emergency Plan at the introduction of the new Fire Safety Order 2005.
The new order put the duty of fire safety squarely on the shoulders of the responsible person and this judgment indicates the consequence of getting it wrong.
'Nine people were rescued by fire crews following the smoke logging of the building caused by fire safety contraventions. Although there were no serious injuries 14 residents were taken to hospital for check-ups.
A suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment and Emergency Plan might not have prevented the fire but as the Judge agreed it would have reduced the effects of the fire causing less risk to both the occupants and the fire crews.
'I would like to thank all of the officers and personnel who made this prosecution successful, and remind those responsible for properties of the need to carry out a full and comprehensive risk assessment and emergency plan.'
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