Mansfield bargain shop fined for fire safety breaches

Mansfield bargain shop fined for fire safety breaches

A bargain store in Mansfield has been ordered to pay more than £30,000 in costs for breaching fire safety regulations.

Representatives from the national chain B&M Retail Ltd were slapped with the penalty after pleading guilty to breaching six fire safety offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court.

The charges came about after fire protection officers from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service investigated the store shortly after it opened in June last year and found key fire safety failings.

B&M was found to have failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, while fire exits and exit routes were obstructed.

A follow-up inspection in October 2011 also revealed that fire doors were locked and unable to be used in an emergency, and an exit route led to a locked enclosed area.

The company faced a total financial penalty of £32,984.17 including a victim surcharge of £15.

Ian Taylor, fire protection group manager at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The public should continue to be reassured that we take any breaches of fire safety very seriously and will use legal sanctions where necessary.

“In this case, my officers had previously spent some time ensuring that B&M Retail Ltd was aware of its responsibilities and duties to ensure people’s safety, and it is disappointing that they chose to continue to place people at risk from fire.”

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