SIX businesses are being prosecuted over a blaze at a Cheshire retirement village.
On August 8, 2019, around 70 firefighters were called in to tackle an inferno at Beechmere Retirement Complex in Crewe.
No-one was injured in the blaze - one of the biggest Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has attended - but more than 150 residents were affected, either through the loss of their home or their possessions
The fire service has been investigating the cause and has now charged six companies for failing to comply with the Fire Safety (Regulatory Reform) Order 2005.
Some of the firms have also been charged in relation to Hazelmere retirement village in Winsford.
A Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "Since 2019 the service has worked tirelessly to investigate the cause of the fire and establish any potential breaches of fire safety legislation.
"This has been a long and complex process owing to the scale of the fire and the number of parties involved in designing, building, maintaining and managing the building.
"As a result of the investigation, the service is bringing charges against six companies for failing to comply with the Fire Safety (Regulatory Reform) Order 2005."
Regarding, Hazelmere, the spokesman added: "During the course of the investigation, alleged breaches of the Order were also discovered at another retirement village, Hazelmere on Hambleton Way, Winsford.
"A number of charges have been laid in respect of these failures, in addition to those at Beechmere.
"Remedial work to rectify these issues has already been carried out at Hazelmere and the other ‘mere’ retirement complexes in the area that were built to the same design specification and managed by Your Housing.
"Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is satisfied fire risk in these properties is now appropriately managed."
The six companies are:
- Your Housing Ltd. - Employed staff at Beechmere and as such was the ‘responsible person’ for fire safety measures as defined by Article 3(a) of the Fire Safety (Regulatory Reform) Order 2005.
- Avantage (Cheshire) Ltd - Contracted to procure the design, build, finance and operate the village. Avantage is a subsidiary of Your Housing Ltd.
- Morgan Sindall Property Services Ltd. The facilities management subcontractor to Avantage, with responsibility for responsive repairs and cyclical maintenance.
- WSP UK Ltd. Contracted to produce a detailed fire strategy in 2007 and in 2008 produce an operational fire safety manual and carry out a fire risk assessment of Beechmere.
- Total Fire Group Ltd. Contracted to carry out fire risk assessments in August 2017 and August 2018 at both Beechmere and Hazelmere retirement villages.
- MAC Roofing and Contractors Ltd. Contracted by Morgan Sindall Property Services Ltd. to undertake roofing works at Beechmere between 6 and 8 August 2019.
All six companies are set to appear at Warrington Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, August 8 - four years to the day of the fire.
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