After an array of fire safety offences were discovered at eight Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) properties owned by a property agent, a combined fine of £37,000 was handed to the owner.

A survey of landlords has found that hundreds of thousands of tenants are living in unsafe housing with missing smoke or carbon monoxide alarms as landlords aren’t meeting obligations on repairs that they are responsible for.

The number of houses getting a fire-risk check in the West Midlands has decreased by over a third in seven years, reports the Birmingham Mail.

A landlord who took advantage of a tenant by 'forcing' them to live in a nightmare property which had electrical faults, no fire alarms and insecure windows has been fined.

A landlord from Wolverhampton has been handed a £34k fine for breaching a number of housing rules, including regarding fire safety, at an HMO under his ownership.

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A property firm in Liverpool has been fined over £3,000 after it admitted breaching fire safety regulations.

Wavertree Property Link (NW) Limited admitted to two offences of failing to licence two properties in the city and 11 further breaches of the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations at Liverpool Magistrates Court.

The houses were found to have defective fire safety precautions, a faulty fire alarm and an unsafe boundary wall.The business was fined £250 for each offence and was ordered to pay £3,870 costs.

Under the Housing Act 2004, houses of three storeys or more occupied by five or more unrelated people have to be licensed by the city council.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in England and Wales. If the fire risk assessment is deemed to be carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to two years.

Local Acts, which include fire safety provisions, are to be scrapped in new proposed government reforms.The announcement follows the coalition's publication of changes to Building Regulations in England. Currently, fire safety standards for new buildings are set through these regulations but these laws differ depending on the region.There are around 23 local Acts which have one or more provisions relating to fire protection, providing discretionary power to local authorities who wish to implement additional checks in buildings such as warehouses, tall buildings and car parks.According to the coalition, these measures result in unnecessary construction, maintenance and administrative costs for those in the construction industry and do not help improve fire safety.

This has prompted the government to launch a consultation into local Acts as it looks to reduce inconsistencies and unnecessary regulatory burdens relating to fire safety standards. Among the changes to fire safety regulations include changes to the classification of decorative wall linings and thermoplastic lighting diffusers.Introducing the consultation to the House of Commons on 31st January, communities minister Andrew Stunell claimed the proposals will help cut the regulatory cost for businesses. "This will free-up businesses from the costs of fire protection requirements contained in some local Acts which apply inconsistently across the country," he said."The decision has been taken in the light of previous consultation which found no evidence to justify maintaining requirements which go beyond the necessary protection already afforded nationally through the building regulations." The move has attracted criticism from those in the fire industry, including Graham Ellicott, chief executive of the Fire Industry Association. He said: "Is the scrapping of Local Acts in the spirit of Localism? This in my opinion smacks of government only wanting Localism when it suits them!" Responses to the consultation are due in on 27th April and the government aims to roll out these measures in 2013.

As well as fire risk assessments and fire training courses we also provide ad hoc consultancy services which typically include:

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Four people have appeared before Taunton magistrates following a fire at a derelict mansion in Somerset. Nathan Goldfinch and Marcus Tancock, both 19 and from Weston-super-Mare; Stuart Walker, 22, from Lympsham and a 17-year-old youth from Cheddar are charged with arson.

No pleas were entered and the four were released on unconditional bail. They are accused of starting a fire which badly damaged Sandhill Park, Bishops Lydeard, on 22 November.

All four are due to appear before Taunton Crown Court on 11 April.

Thirty passengers were led to safety from a bus after it caught fire on the M60 motorway in Greater Manchester. The driver of the double decker noticed the blaze as he was driving between junctions 12 and 13 near Worsley at about 11:10 GMT. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said he pulled on to the hard shoulder and the vehicle was evacuated.

The fire service said it was thought the fire started in a fuel line of the 126 from Leigh to the Trafford Centre. After the fire was put out, a relief bus was sent to the scene and the passengers were taken to their destination.

Another monk has set himself on fire in south-western China - the fifth such reported case this month, rights groups say. According to Free Tibet and the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), Lobsang Gyatso, 19, set himself on fire on Monday in Aba county, Sichuan province. Police allegedly beat him while they tried to extinguish the flames. It was not immediately clear if the monk survived. Aba county, an ethnic Tibetan area that is home to the Tibetan Buddhist Kirti monastery, has been the scene of many of the self-immolations in recent months. ICT, citing monks in exile and other Tibetan sources, said that two other Tibetans had tried to help Mr Gyatso, but were severely beaten by police.

On Monday China confirmed that a Tibetan nun died on Saturday, also in Aba county, after setting herself on fire. In the last year, at least 21 young Tibetans have set themselves on fire in apparent protest against Beijing's rule. Correspondents say Tibetan-populated parts of China are experiencing their worst unrest in four years, with at least three deadly demonstrations reported in January.

International media are denied access to the area, making it difficult to verify accounts.

The boss of a St Helens gas supply firm has been fined £22,500 after an explosion in which he and an employee suffered multiple burns. John Webster, director of North West Gases Ltd, had been removing the valve of a liquefied petroleum gas cylinder on 10 April, 2008 when it ignited. The resulting fire and explosion set Webster's clothing on fire and another worker was thrown across the building. Webster was found guilty of a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The explosion lifted the roof off the building in Alma Street, St Helens. A third employee sustained minor injuries. Webster, of Archer Grove, St Helens, was fined £22,500 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £2,500. Health and Safety Executive inspector Warren Pennington said: "Mr Webster's failure to carry out even the most basic of safety checks led to what was an entirely preventable incident. "He failed to ensure that the cylinder was empty and didn't check for any potential sources of ignition in the building, any of which could have caused this explosion.

"In this case, the fact that no-one was killed was simply down to luck."

Two walkers set fire to their map to aid a rescue by the South Yorkshire Police helicopter after becoming stranded in the Peak District. Mark Lardon, 26, and his girlfriend were stuck on an icy waterfall on Kinder Scout in Derbyshire. Mr Lardon, from Dronfield, rang a friend to raise the alarm and then set fire to a map to attract the attention of the helicopter searching for them Mr Lardon said: "I thought we weren't going to make it out alive." The couple were out walking on Kinder Scout in preparation for a charity hike up Snowdon when they got into difficulty earlier this month. The helicopter seemed to be circling everywhere apart from over us.”

Mr Lardon rang a friend for advice and asked him to raise the alarm. "We had to scramble back up the hill. It was pitch black by then." He added: "It was terrifying. I had to keep my girlfriend calm because it wasn't only getting stuck up there, it was the effects of the cold." Mr Lardon said he had set fire to the map after it appeared the helicopter was having difficulty locating them. "The helicopter seemed to be circling everywhere apart from over us. "I realised they have thermal imaging cameras which would be able to detected us if we set fire to something so the biggest thing I had was a map, so I set fire to that and it worked."

The couple were taken back to the helicopter's base and treated by paramedics. Sgt Helen Scothern, head of South Yorkshire Police's air operations unit, said: "The couple were suffering from being exposed to the severe cold but thankfully we were able to reach them and locate them before the consequences, and the weather, became more severe."

Last year it was announced that the South Yorkshire Police helicopter would stop running in 2013 when the force joins a single national police helicopter service.

A major road in Nottingham was closed to traffic after a car caught fire on it during rush hour. Trent Bridge was closed while a fire crew from West Bridgford tackled the blaze, which destroyed a blue Peugeot. Crews were called to the fire near the Riverbank pub at 08:40 GMT and both inbound lanes were shut.

The road has since reopened, a Nottinghamshire fire service spokesman said. The cause of the fire is not known.

An 18-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a caravan fire in West Sussex. Sussex Police said the caravan was set alight in Lambourne Close, Crawley, in the early hours of Sunday. Police arrested the woman on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and making a threat to damage or destroy property. She was later bailed. West Sussex fire crews were called to the scene to put out the fire. No-one was injured in the incident.

Det Sgt Dave Morton said: "The fire caused serious damage to the caravan and luckily there was no-one inside at the time." He urged anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area at the time to contact the force.

The Fire and Rescue Service are still trying to establish what caused a fire at a sawmill in Limavady. Fire crews remain at the scene of the blaze, which broke out early on Monday at the sawmill and separate storage unit on the Edenmore Road. Nine appliances and 40 firefighters were involved in bringing the blaze under control. No-one was injured.

A spokesperson for the fire service said said investigations into the cause will begin once the area is safe.

A car fire near Aberdeen Airport has caused rush-hour delays. The fire, at the roundabout junction with Dyce Drive, was reported at about 08:10. Grampian Fire and Rescue Service said a hosereel jet and breathing apparatus had been used to extinguish the blaze.

A Grampian Police spokeswoman said the road had been blocked. No-one was believed to have been injured.

A woman has been treated for smoke inhalation after a fire at a house in the Isle of Man. Fire crews were called out at about 06:00 GMT to the property, on Bradda Road in Port Erin. It is thought the blaze, which started in the lounge, was caused by a faulty oil boiler.

A spokesman from the fire and rescue service said a man was treated by paramedics at the scene and a woman was taken to hospital.

A fire which destroyed a cookery school run by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in Devon is not being treated as suspicious, investigators have said. The blaze, at River Cottage near Axminster on Tuesday night, took firefighters several hours to control The former barn was extensively damaged and it was likely to have been burning for some time before it was discovered, Devon and Somerset Fire Service said. Temperatures reached more than 900°C (1,650F) in some areas, it added.

Fire investigator Mike Burroughs said the building was "extensively damaged throughout, particularly in the kitchen area and lean to buildings". He said: "Some very large structural timbers had burnt to completion and there was evidence to suggest temperatures reached over 900°C at low level "It is likely that the fire had been burning for some time before it was discovered and was well developed before fire crews arrived. "The area of origin was the most badly damaged and there was insufficient evidence found to draw firm conclusions on the precise mechanism of ignition. "However, there are no suspicious circumstances." The TV chef, who was filming abroad when the fire broke out and could not be contacted for 36 hours, said the fire had been "just impossible to imagine".

The Canteen restaurant and delicatessen, based in the centre of Axminster, has not been affected by the fire.

A man has been charged over an arson attack at a charity which provides holidays for terminally ill children. Cairn Major, 18, of Tyldesley Road, Blackpool, is also accused of burgling Donna's Dream House in the town. He will appear before Blackpool Magistrates Court on Friday. Burglars broke into the charity and set fire to log cabins on 21 December. The blaze destroyed the office, hot tubs and sauna at the site, which was forced to close for Christmas.

The investigation into the fire and items that had been removed from the property is continuing, Lancashire Police said.

A fire at a business premises in Londonderry is being treated as an arson attack, police have said. It was reported at 03:20 GMT on Wednesday at the premises on Rossdowney Road.

Police said the fire was discovered at the back of a property in the area. A man was seen acting suspiciously in the area just after 03:00GMT. Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service also attended the scene.

Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

A man who killed his mother by beheading her and ripping out her lung in the 1990s set himself alight at a Buckinghamshire golf club. A greenkeeper discovered Chay Sibley's burning body at Denham Golf Club on 17 October last year, an inquest heard. The 40-year-old, from North Ayrshire, was sent to a secure hospital in 1998 after he admitted the manslaughter of Rita Sibley but was later released. Buckinghamshire Coroner Richard Hulett said Mr Sibley had taken his own life.

High Wycombe Magistrates' Court heard greenkeeper Paul Clark had spotted a fire and then a pile of men's clothes, left abandoned, and did not realise it was a body until a mobile phone rang. Mr Sibley had been in Buckinghamshire with his partner to visit his father, who lived nearby in West Drayton in London, the hearing was told. Mr Sibley wanted to "get help" as he felt his mental health issues were reappearing and he had previously had treatment by psychiatric nurses in London some years ago. He had been to seek help on 16 October but was told he would have to wait until the next day to see someone.

Forensic psychiatric nurse Nick Clark said he helped Mr Sibley in the past and had received a call from him the night before he died. He said he had wanted advice after doing a Google search for his own name and finding the results "too much to bear". He vanished on a shopping trip with his partner on 17 October - and it had been her phone call that was heard by greenkeeper Mr Clark.

A post-mortem examination found Mr Sibley died from extensive burns.

Services will commence later this month (February 2012) with the delivery of monthly Fire Training Courses including Basic Fire Safety and Fire Marshal Training.  The training is open for attendance by delegates from any organisation or business in Gibraltar at very reasonable rates.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the people of Gibraltar to learn new skills from one of the fastest growing training companies in Europe. Donahue is very encouraged by the response his company has received so far from the business community in Gibraltar, many of whom attended a free seminar presented by Donahue and his colleagues in May 2011.  Donahue said “I look forward to working with the local people and businesses. It would be our great pleasure to share our knowledge with those who would most directly benefit from it and to bring our vision to Gibraltar”.

For the latest course dates and fees please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

An 85-year-old man has died in a house fire in West Yorkshire. Police and the fire service were called to an address in Gilbert Close in the Kirkstall area of Leeds at about at 22:17 GMT. A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said firefighters discovered the body of a man, who has not yet been named, inside the property.

The spokesman said the cause of the fire was not being treated as suspicious.

"There's no justifiable reason why in the future the gender of a person would come into the role of a firefighter," said Diane Dunlevey, the equality and diversity manager for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). Of the 907 firefighters currently employed in Staffordshire, 56 are women, which equates to about 6.2%, above the national average of 4.1% for fire services, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government. Fourteen women joined the county's service in 2011. Twenty years earlier the fire service had two, then swelling the ranks to three. And some women have moved up the career ladder at the service, with seven currently deployed as crew managers, one now a station manager and another an area manager.

The latter is Becci Bryant, who joined a different service after graduating from university, but later moved to Staffordshire. Dispelling myths. She said as a young recuit in 1992 she had found it hard initially and that had been problems with attitudes from some male colleagues, as well as the public's perception. She said many of her female peers "experienced bullying" but that things had changed over the years. "We've become more enlightened as a sector and society," Ms Bryant said.

SFRS recently stepped up its recruitment of female firefighters by getting teenage girls aged between 14 and 16 in Cannock to write and record a promotional DVD that is being supported by the county council. According to Ms Dunlevey, the aim was to dispel many of the myths. She said: "The research told us that young people start to make their decisions about their future when they're around 14 or 15 years old. "It was suggested that [girls] never thought about being a firefighter." Like the percentage of women in the service, the numbers of ethnic minorities is also increasing on a national scale. Across England 50,943 people were employed as firefighters in 2011 of whom 3.2% were from ethnic minorities. In 2002 that figure was 1.5%. Ms Bryant said she believed Staffordshire was quite "forward thinking" in trying to increase both sets of numbers."We've spent a lot of time recruiting ethnic minorities and have overcome hurdles in the realms of what a woman can do," the area manager said, adding that 20 years had been too long to increase the numbers of female firefighters in the county from three to 56.

However, a 50-50 split between men and women in the service is unlikely any time soon, Ms Dunlevey said. "I don't see any reason why it couldn't be that way," she said. "But I do still think that we've got a long way to go."

The cookery school kitchens at TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage headquarters in Devon have been severely damaged by fire. The alarm was raised about 22:15 GMT on Tuesday and the fire took several hours to control. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters had also had to isolate two large tanks of liquid propane gas at the Axminster property. River Cottage said staff were trying to contact the chef who is filming abroad.

A statement said: "The River Cottage team are shocked and upset, and are dealing with the damage today. "Hugh is away on a long-distance filming trip and will be informed as soon as he can be contacted." River Cottage said its cookery school courses which are held in the converted barn would not be running "in the short term".

The Canteen restaurant and delicatessen, based in the centre of Axminster, has not been affected by the fire. Last August, the chef and his son had to be rescued by lifeboat when his boat became trapped on submerged rocks off the coast of Sidmouth.

More than £6,000 has been donated to a fund to help families affected by a blaze which damaged a row of historic thatched cottages in a Devon town. Crediton Town Council launched the fund after six properties were damaged in the fire which started on Thursday. More than 130 items of furniture and hardware have also been donated, the authority said. At its height, about 100 firefighters from across Devon tackled the blaze in Buller Court.

A council spokesman said families should start to receive the donations in the coming days. People have donated more than £4,000 in cash and £2,300 in cheques, he added. Earlier, Mayor Frank Letch said: "No-one has been hurt but there have been a lot of valuables lost." The fire took hold in an historic part of the town known locally as the traditional birthplace of St Boniface. It affected a row of five thatched cottages before spreading to a sixth property.

Police investigating a fatal flat fire in Worcester have arrested four people. Andrew Heath, aged 52, was found dead at his flat in Chedworth Close, Warndon, after a suspected arson attack on 14 December. West Mercia Police said two men, aged 19 and 24, and 17-year-old girl had been arrested in Warndon and a 16-year-old girl arrested in Malvern. Police said Mr Heath had become trapped in his flat after a fire was started in a wheelie bin pushed into the porch. Police said two of the people were being questioned at Castle Street Police Station in Worcester and the other two had been taken to Kidderminster Police Station. Det Chief Inspector Paul Williamson said the investigation into Mr Heath's death "is still very much in full swing". He said a team of 40 officers and staff were working on the investigation.

A £10,000 reward has previously been offered by police. Last month, officers appealed for information on the BBC's Crimewatch about a group of people seen outside Mr Heath's house before the fire in the early hours of 14 December. Two men were arrested and released on bail in December and another man was questioned and released on bail in January.

Mr Williamson described the fire as "a personal attack".

Six teenagers carried out a "spree" of arson attacks in north London over five days, including a fire that closed the M1 motorway, a court heard. The fire at a scrapyard in Mill Hill in April 2011 closed a stretch of the road for days and caused £4.5m damage. A "core group" of five were among 10 teenagers charged over fires in Barnet, Wood Green Crown Court heard. Three 18-year-olds, a 17-year-old and two aged 15, all deny conspiring to destroy the scrapyard by fire. Luke Matthews, of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Johno Johnson, of Tyrell Way, West Hendon, Josh Lambe, of Harcourt Avenue, Edgware, all aged 18; the 17-year-old and the two 15-year-olds, also deny intending to destroy such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be destroyed.

All 10 teenagers were accused of involvement in fires in the London borough between 12 April and 16 April. The M1 fire took place on 15 April. Prosecutor James Brown told the jury that they may not have heard about all the incidents in which the "core group" - one aged 14 at the time - were allegedly involved. He said: "The offence that took place on 15 April in the early hours of the morning is an offence which became notorious. "Notorious because, as a result of what these defendants did - setting fire to a scrapyard underneath the M1 motorway - there was an enormous conflagration of flames to such an extent that the fire spread from the initial location of the scrapyard to another that was right underneath the motorway. "It caused such an intensive fire that it actually damaged the motorway above. "As a result the motorway was closed for nearly a week."

The case continues.

Firefighters have been tackling a burning pile of 7,000 tyres in West Yorkshire. The fire service was called shortly after 23:30 GMT on Sunday to a building in Hollins Hill, Baildon. Four appliances from across West Yorkshire Fire service are at the scene and expected to be there for much of the morning.

It is not yet known what caused the fire but an investigation is expected to take place later.

Three people have been taken to hospital following two early morning fires in the Highlands. In the first incident, a woman and a child were rescued from a third-floor flat in Fort William. Firefighters used a ladder to reach the two people.

Emergency services were called to the scene at 02:30. A person was later rescued from a fire in a house in Castletown near Thurso. Emergency services were called to the property at about 07:15.

Fire crews have spent the night tackling a blaze which severely damaged a row of historic thatched cottages in a Devon town. Six properties have been damaged by the fire in Crediton which started at about lunchtime on Thursday. At its height, about 100 firefighters tackled the blaze in Mill Street, a spokesman for Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said. Firefighters were damping down at the scene of the fire early on Friday.

The fire took hold in an historic part of the town known locally as the traditional birthplace of St Boniface. There have been no reports of any injuries. The fire affected a row of five thatched cottages before spreading to a sixth property.

A woman has been rescued from an overnight house fire in Glengormley, County Antrim, after she ran back into her home to save her dog. The blaze broke out in the living room at the house at Sandyknowes Park at about 02:00 GMT on Friday morning. A man and woman managed to escape the blaze but she went back to try and rescue the dog. She was overcome by fumes in an upstairs bedroom. Firefighters managed to bring her and the dog to safety. The man then collapsed outside the house.

Both people were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not thought to be life threatening. Assistant Group Commander Mark Beresford said they had a lucky escape. "It could have proved fatal if the fire crews had not been so close to the property. "What they should do is to get out and stay out. We will enter the property and hopefully recover the pet. But the pet's life is not worth one human life," he said.

The living room of the house was badly damaged and there was smoke damage throughout the house.

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue is to make £1.3m cuts over the next three years, despite safety concerns raised by the Fire Brigades Union. Approval has been given by the county council, which is the fire authority for the service. The union believes resources will be taken away from the front line as crews will be asked to carry out first aid for casualties until paramedics arrive.

The council has said the plan is welcomed by the public and fire staff. A public consultation was held from October to January before the plans were approved. Cabinet member for communities Will Windsor-Clive said: "It was very clear that the majority of people understood the need to make some operational changes to our already excellent fire service which will make it more responsive, efficient and continue to support people when they are in need of rescue."

The finalised Integrated Risk Management Plan will be published at the end of March.

Arsonists have targeted a North Yorkshire farm for the second time in two years, destroying a barn and causing about £30,000 of damage. The blaze, at a farm on Sutton Road, Strensall, was discovered shortly after midnight on Wednesday. The straw-filled wooden barn replaced another one at the same farm which was also destroyed by fire two years ago.

Police said they believed that due to the remote location of the farm, the offenders may have used a vehicle. Anyone with information about the blaze is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police.

Firefighters are tackling what they described as a large blaze at the University of York. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue were called to the building on Alcuin Way, Heslington shortly before 13:00 GMT on Thursday. Officers said the fire was thought to have started in a chemical fumes cabinet.

A university spokesperson said the building, part of the chemistry department, had been safely evacuated. A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said six engines and support appliances were fighting the fire which was in the roof of the two-storey building. Firefighters are also on the first floor tackling the fire which is in the fume cupboard ducting.

A fire board in Scotland has been heavily criticised for its decision to man a station overnight despite relatively low levels of activity and risk in the area. Public spending watchdog the Accounts Commission has slammed Tayside Joint Fire and Rescue Board's call not to use retained firefighters for night-time cover at Balmossie station and stick with full-time crew. The body claims that Tayside Fire and Rescue would have been able to have day crew in Forfar, an area deemed a greater risk, if they chose not to have full-time staff overnight in Balmossie.

Members of the Tayside board twice voted against the move, a decision which the Accounts Commission was wholly opposed to. "It is difficult to see that in its decisions over Balmossie the board has met its best-value responsibilities in its use of public resources," a report from the body said, adding that there was "compelling evidence to shift resources to better match the needs of Tayside as a whole". Tayside Fire and Rescue service claimed the report identified the service as a "high-performing organisation".

Statistics show that over 2,100 fire incidents are started deliberately every week. Fires that have been started deliberately can generally develop at a much faster rate than other types of fires, and in many cases they are started in areas forming part of escape routes. Arson is a real risk for all businesses and premises and Active Fire Management are pleased to be able to share some advice and tips on how to manage risks against arson attacks.

• Always secure all entry points to the premises including windows and roof.
• Ensure that rubbish and combustible materials are removed regularly.
• Do not allow storage of goods or materials next to windows or doors opening into any part of the building.
• Ensure that your security alarm and fire detection system is monitored and acted on.
• Ensure access to the building is sufficiently controlled.
• Secure flammable liquids so that intruders cannot use them.
• Secure all storage areas and unused areas of the building that do not form part of an escape route.
• Fire secure metal letterboxes on the inside of letter flaps to contain any burning materials that may be pushed through.
• Report suspicious activity.
• Take professional advice when completing fire risk assessments and act promptly on any findings and recommendations.
• Do not forget dismissed employees - disgruntled employees can be a real threat. Take the necessary measures to retrieve keys and all access rights.

Remember in a fire - Get Out - Stay Out - Call the Fire Services.

Active Fire Management looks at the risk of arson as part of their extensive Fire Risk Assessments. Our fire risk assessment reports include observations, findings and recommendations that our fire risk assessors identify that are relevant to ensure you comply with The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order and other relevant fire safety legislation.

A total of £9m has been saved by London Fire Brigade (LFB) after the number of false call-outs crews attended dropped over the past four years. LFB said it went to 40,734 false calls in 2011, triggered by automatic alarm systems, compared to 48,771 in 2008. But it said crews are still being called out to a false or hoax call every 10 minutes, costing £37m a year.

Automated systems are quite often set off by faulty alarms or by burnt toast or cigarette smoke, LFB said. The brigade said the other types of false calls include those made with "good intent" and "malicious hoax calls". Crews attended 12,769 "good intent" calls, which later turned out to be false alarms, and 2,149 "malicious hoax calls" in 2011. These are separate from the 15% drop in false alarms from automatic systems, mostly found installed in offices, hospitals, universities, hotels, airports or stations. The biggest drop was seen in King's College London where call-outs fell by 44% since 2007, the biggest improvement have been in student accommodations, the college said.

Councillor Brian Coleman, chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, said: "Businesses need to make sure their alarms are properly maintained so our firefighters can focus on attending real emergencies."

Fire alarm serviceability forms part of the many areas of assessment in a fire risk assessment. For more details on our fire risk assessment services click here.

Fire fighters in London have been battling a large warehouse blaze that sent a huge cloud of thick smoke over west London. At its height, London Fire Brigade (LFB) sent 15 appliances to the scene in Shepherds Bush. Although the fire has now been contained, unstable gas cylinders have been found which need to be made safe. White City Tube station and Wood Lane remain closed after being shut shortly after the blaze started at 09:35 GMT.

About half of the the large warehouse - which measures 170m by 90m (557ft by 295ft) - has been destroyed in the fire. The situation was described as "challenging" and affecting a range of industrial buildings. An ambulance and a hazardous area response team were sent but London Ambulance Service said no-one had been reported hurt.More than 100 people were evacuated from the complex, according to a local petrol station worker.

The warehouses used to be owned by Unigate which was taken over by Dairycrest in 2002. A spokeswoman for Dairycrest said she did not know who bought the warehouses. The cause of the blaze is not yet known.

A woman has been seriously hurt in a blaze at a sheltered housing block in East Yorkshire. Fire crews were called to Chantry Court in Bridlington at about 5.24am on 30th January after a fire broke out in one of the building's flats.

A total of 33 residents were evacuated and a further nine were rescued by fire crews. Four of those rescued were later admitted to hospital suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation, with one woman reported to have been seriously injured. Humberside Fire and Rescue service praised the building's fire doors which helped to stop the flames from spreading to nearby flats.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in England and Wales.If a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is not carried out, the Responsible Person faces up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine. Fire doors and other fire protection measures form part of the many areas covered by our fire risk assessments.

Students at a block of flats in Reading had to be evacuated after a fire started in a kitchen area of the building last night (29th January).

Fire crews from Wokingham Road and Whitley Wood stations were called to Benyon Hall in Whitely at around 10.20pm, reports the Reading Post.Two fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the flames on the ground floor of the tower block before using pressure ventilation equipment to clear smoke from the second and third floors.All the residents of the block were safely evacuated from the blaze, with no injuries reported.

Evacuating buildings in a fire situation is a key part of Fire Marshal and Fire Warden training courses. For further information click here.

Almost 11,000 smoke alarms and fire safety checks were carried out by Lancashire Fire Service in a single day, in the wake of a blaze which killed four siblings. Reece Smith, 19, four-year-old twins Holly and Ella Smith and two-year-old Jordan Smith died in the fire in Freckleton on 7 January. It later emerged the house had smoke alarms but they were not working. Lancashire fire stations opened their doors on Saturday. At times, people were queuing for smoke alarms, Lancashire Fire and Rescue said. 'Overwhelming success'

Firefighters and community fire safety staff were also at supermarkets, shopping centres and football grounds to offer fire safety advice and smoke alarms. Lancashire chief fire officer Peter Holland said: "Saturday was an overwhelming success for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. "Only in the early hours of Saturday morning were we reminded of the importance of smoke alarms - in South Shore, a man had fallen asleep on his sofa whilst cooking and he only woke up as his smoke alarm activated.

"Without the alarm, the situation for him and his mother could have been a lot more serious. "We urge the people who picked up a smoke alarm on Saturday to ensure that the alarm has now been fitted correctly and that it is tested weekly."If anyone missed out on a free smoke alarm, they can still pick one up via our free home fire safety check." Eighteen-year-old Dyson Allen was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of murder in  connection with the fire. He has been bailed, pending further inquiries.

Firefighters had to break down a door to rescue a dog after it set its owner's Leicestershire house on fire, trying to sniff out a pizza. The Staffordshire bull terrier jumped up to try to get at the pizza, which had been left on top of the cooker, and managed to nudge one of the knobs. Leicestershire firefighters rescued a cat and a dog from the house on Drew Court, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, on Friday.

Smoke damage was caused to the kitchen but no-one was injured in the fire.

A spokeswoman from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue said: "It would appear the dog tried to get at the pizza and managed to turn on one of the cooker's knobs in doing so. "The dog was rescued along with a cat. We have no reports to say they were injured in the incident and no-one else was at home at the time."

A 40-year-old woman has been rescued from a house fire in Londonderry. The fire, which was accidental, began in the ground floor living room of the house in Woodbrook on Monday. The woman phoned Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service at about 14.50 GMT . She was in an upstairs bedroom at the time of the fire and escaped through the window onto the first floor window sill.

She was taken to hospital by ambulance suffering from shock and smoke inhalation. A fire alarm alerted the woman to the fire.

A Cheshire takeaway has been fined more than £24,000 for a number of breaches to fire safety regulations. The owners of the Buffet City outlet on Newgate Street in Chester were ordered by Chester Magistrates Court to pay a total of £24,067 in fines and court costs after being found guilty of six offences of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The fast food restaurant did not have a working fire alarm, emergency escape lighting or a suitable fire exit, while the owners also failed to carry out a suitable fire risk assessment. Keith Brooks,

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service's head of community fire protection, claimed that it was an "extremely serious" case of a business putting the lives of its staff at considerable risk from fire. "Staff sleeping in a workplace must be able to escape safely in the event of a fire," he said. "We are determined to protect the lives of those living and working across Cheshire and so we will continue to take action when businesses, large or small, do not take their fire safety responsibilities seriously."

Two elderly women had to be taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a care home in Coventry. Fire crews were called to The Knowles in Tile Hill, just after 5.30pm on Saturday (21st January) to tackle a blaze which started in a ground-floor apartment. West Midlands Fire Service evacuated all 38 residents from the home, with one 83-year-old found to have suffered burns to her leg and another woman suffering the effects of smoke inhalation.

They were treated at the scene before being taken to Coventry's University Hospital, while three other residents and one of the home's employees had to be given treatment after suffering milder smoke inhalation.

Privately-owned flats in Scarborough have been closed down by the local council after they were deemed to be a fire safety risk. Under special Emergency Prohibition powers, officials from Scarborough Borough Council closed down the property at 10 Cromwell Terrace after an inspection discovered numerous health and safety hazards including a lack of fire safety provisions and very dangerous electrics. Environmental Health officers described the property as one of the worst they had seen for a number of years.

Andrew Rowe, housing manager at Scarborough Borough Council, labelled the building as a "death trap". He said: "We only use our emergency closure powers as a last resort because of the upheaval caused to residents, however on this occasion we really had no choice. "It's simply not acceptable for landlords in the borough to rent out properties in such a poor state of repair." Residents of the flat, who were moved out on 13th January, are currently in emergency accommodation.

A fire at a waste recycling company has cost the Gloucestershire-based firm £25,000, it has been revealed. Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue service was called to the A1 Green Recycling depot at Sharpness docks at 11.50am on January 9th after staff noticed smoke billowing from a waste material sorting shed, reports the Gazette Series. Crews managed to extinguish the flames after several hours but owner Fred Booy revealed that the firm could not reopen for four days after the incident. When loss of business and repair costs are considered, Mr Booy estimates the fire cost the company £25,000.

He told the news provider: "We had to pay to get RID of most of the waste material that was here. Usually we sort it and sell it on to different premises but it all had to go straight to the tip and because of the water they used it weighed more."