Two directors have admitted to fire safety failings at a small care home in Nottingham
As reported by Nottingham Live, Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) first raised concerns over inadequate fire safety measures following an inspection of St Martins, Bilborough, in February 2023.
Home to up to 15 residents, the small care home faced the risk of closure, leading to management undergoing a “major refurbishment” to keep the building in line with fire safety regulations. This included the installation of a new fire alarm system.
Notably, the concerns of NFRS also led to a separate inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in June 2023, where it was given an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’. In its report, the CQC stated: “The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about health and safety concerns related to the premises and fire safety. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.”
Charges have since been brought against Ashwin Nepal and the current director of Revive Health Care Ltd, Samir Nath Pyakuryal. Both appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on 17 July 2024, where they pleaded guilty to “a number of offences”. It is understood that Nepal was the director at the time of the inspection, while Pyakuryal is Revive Health Care Ltd’s current director. According to the newspaper, one of the charges was for “failing to implement fire safety recommendations after an inspection was carried out putting a person at risk of death”. Other charges included inadequate fire alarms or detectors, inadequate internal fire doors, “failing to maintain a means of escape”, and “failing to establish safety drills or an evacuation plan”.
During the hearing, Recorder Stuart Sprawson said: “Those who fail to look after people in care face a serious sentence and might end up going to prison. Don’t be under any illusion that is not an option.”
Sentencing is expected to take place on 17 October.