Slough property manager fined for breaching Fire Safety Order

The guilty plea comes in the wake of an investigation conducted by the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service in early 2023. This process found that there were several serious fire safety deficiencies at a property managed by Afzal, specifically a restaurant located on the High Street.

These breaches included the lack of a linked fire detection system between the commercial and residential units at the property, insufficient emergency lighting, inadequate fire doors and non-fire resisting glazing that would have compromised the means of escape in an emergency scenario.

Afzal was fined £16,000 following the conviction which, in addition to the victim surcharge and the Fire Authority’s prosecution fees, brought the total cost paid by the defendant to the aforementioned £22,646.82.

Michal Kosierb, fire safety enforcement lead at the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This case shows that businesses must take their commitments to fire safety seriously and that we will take action where necessary in the interest of public safety.”

Kosierb continued: “As a Fire and Rescue Service, our purpose is to help keep businesses, people and communities safe. We will continue to work with business owners to help them protect themselves and their livelihoods. However, cases like this demonstrate that, if the safety of individuals is at stake, we will take decisive action to ensure businesses comply with the law.”

In conclusion, Kosierb noted: “Businesses must take their commitments to fire safety seriously. We will take action where necessary to protect public safety.”

*Further information is available online at www.rbfrs.co.uk