Businesses in Shropshire are being warned about their legal duty to protect lives and comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, after a takeaway owner was ordered to pay more than £2500.
New Wan Loy takeaway in Ellesmere had no fire alarms or means of escape in the premises and the owner Chi Shan Chan failed to comply with a prohibition notice issued under the RRO by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
He was ordered to pay a fine of £900 and costs of £1715 at a hearing at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court last month.
As well as the lack of fire safety measures, no fire safety risk assessment had been carried out, and staff were living above the takeaway in a direct contravention to the prohibition notice.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said that all of the works required had been carried out by the time the court heard Chi Shan Chan’s guilty plea.
Watch Manager Martin Huckle, of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service’s risk reduction team, said that this business had been run with a “total disregard for fire safety matters” and the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.
“If a fire occurred in the kitchen there would be no warning to persons on the upper floors and the only escape route would be cut off, leaving people trapped above the fire.
“We strive to work with Shropshire businesses and other organisations to create a safe and prosperous community and we ensure our actions are fair and proportionate to the risk involved. But where there is a serious and imminent risk we will serve a prohibition notice so as to protect life.
“Non compliance with a prohibition notice is an offence and we will take legal action on the person or company responsible.”
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