Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has announced it is bringing prosecutions against six companies following the major fire that broke out at Beechmere retirement village in Crewe.
In August 2019, 70 firefighters were called to the Beechmere Assisted Living Complex to tackle a large blaze that swept through the timber-framed building. The service later admitted that it had been one of the largest fires ever attended by CFRS firefighters. Whilst there were no casualties, as a result of the damage caused, 150 elderly residents lost their homes and possessions.
Following an investigation into the cause of the devastating fire, CFRS have identified six companies that failed to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. They are:
- Avantage (Cheshire) Ltd: Avantage was contracted to procure the design, build, and finance of Beechmere and operate the village in accordance with Cheshire East Council’s specification. The company is a subsidiary of Your Housing Ltd.
- Your Housing Ltd: Your Housing was the ‘responsible person’ for fire safety measures as defined by Article 3(a) of the Fire Safety (Regulatory Reform) Order 2005. The company also employed the staff at Beechmere.
- Morgan Sindall Property Services Ltd: The facilities management subcontractor to Avantage, with responsibility for responsive repairs and cyclical maintenance.
- WSP UK Ltd: WSP was 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: Total Fire Group was 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: The company was contracted by Morgan Sindall Property Services Ltd. to undertake roofing works at Beechmere between 6 and 8 August 2019.
Charges include failure to take measures to prevent the spread of fire at the premises, failure to undertake suitable and sufficient fire risk assessments, failure to adopt adequate evacuation procedures, and failure to ensure that employees were provided with adequate safety training amongst others. The full list of charges against each company can be found here.
In particular, CFRS identified that there was a “failure to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons were exposed for the purpose of identifying general fire precautions necessary. This includes a failure to identify timber framed construction, and failure to assess atria, smoke control, evacuation procedures, [and] protection of escape routes”.
In a letter to the former residents of the retirement complex, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Lee Shears, wrote:
“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.
“I am aware that for many former residents, the fire resulted in significant distress and upheaval. I also know that the investigative activities have taken some time due to their complexity. I appreciate your patience and understanding as the Service has conducted its investigation.”
Updating former residents, partners, and more on the CFRS website, summons were served to all six companies on 29 June 2023. The companies are expected to appear at Warrington Magistrates Court on 8 August 2023.
CFRS adds that during its investigation of the fire at Beechmere, further breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 were found at Hazelmere retirement village in Winsford, with several additional charges being laid out.
CFRS stated: “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 that fire risk in these properties is now appropriately managed.”
In April 2023, it was reported that Cheshire East Borough Council launched a claim for £40 million against five companies for defects in the construction and design of the building, including the “absence of compartmentation, cavity barriers, and sprinklers”. While the proceedings were thought to have been issued as early as October 2019, they only recently came to light following a hearing that took place at the Technology and Construction Court.
(Photograph by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service)