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Housing association among six companies charged in relation to huge retirement home fire
A large housing association is among six organisations charged with fire safety offences relating to a huge retirement village fire in summer 2019.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has announced a series of charges under fire safety legislation, which relate to its investigation of the fire that destroyed the Beechmere facility in Crewe in August 2019.
Housing association Your Housing Group, which was the ‘responsible person’ for fire safety at the home, faces 16 charges under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005.
These include a failure to take measures to prevent the spread of fire in the premises, a failure to ensure it was possible for people to evacuate the premises as quickly and as safely as possible, and a failure to ensure employees were provided with adequate safety training.
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Charges have also been brought against its subsidiary Avantage (Cheshire), which procured the design and build process and operated the home.
The fire service has also charged Morgan Sindall Property Services, which was contracted to provide repairs and maintenance; WSP UK, a consultancy that provided a fire strategy for the building; Total Fire Group, which risk assessed it in 2017 and 2018; and Mac Roofing Contractors, which carried out roofing works in the days immediately before the blaze.
A full list of the charges relating to each organisation can be found here.
Beechmere was a large retirement village, built using a timber-frame structure, which was almost completely destroyed in the fire.
More than 150 residents lost their homes and possessions, and while none were injured, the fire service said the impact on their lives “has been significant”.
The complex was a purpose built housing scheme for over 55’s, consisting of a block of 132 self-contained apartments. All the homes were designed for independent living with support, and varying levels of care if required.
The fire was one of the biggest ever attended by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, with 70 firefighters deployed at its height to bring it under control.
In a statement, the service said: “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.”
It added that during the course of the investigation, alleged breaches of the order were also discovered at another retirement village operated by Your Housing Group: Hazelmere on Hambleton Way, Winsford.
The service said “a number” of charges have been laid in respect of these failures, in addition to those at Beechmere.
It added that remedial works had already been out to fix these issues, as well as further works to other retirement complexes in the area which were built to the same design.
“Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is satisfied that fire risk in these properties is now appropriately managed,” the statement said.
All six companies are due to appear at Warrington Magistrates Court on 8 August.
A spokesperson from Your Housing Group said: “Late last week, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service [CFRS] issued a court summons alleging that Your Housing Limited and Avantage breached duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, following a fire at a PFI scheme in 2019.
“We are currently reviewing these alleged breaches at the Beechmere and Hazlemere schemes, that are said to have occurred in the period leading up to the fire at Beechmere in 2019. Beechmere and Hazelmere were managed and operated by Your Housing and Avantage, alongside a number of other key stakeholders who we understand have also received a summons from CFRS.
“The priority of everyone at Your Housing and Avantage remains with customers, families and colleagues who were affected by the fire at Beechmere in 2019, and we are working closely with the community as the scheme is redeveloped. We continue to invest in fire safety across all our properties.”
A spokesperson for Morgan Sindall Property Services said: ‘‘The safety and the well-being of residents is always our highest priority; we have fully supported the investigation into the incident and, as a responsible business, understand the need for Cheshire Fire and Rescue to take action. This is a complex matter, involving a number of companies and we will not make further comment while the case is in progress.”
Total Fire Group and WSP UK declined to comment. Mac Roofing and Contractors has been contacted for comment.
As the case is now active, discussion is subject to the Contempt of Court Act 1981. As a result, comments are not permitted on this story and Inside Housing advises readers to show caution if discussing it on social media.
Update at 1.50pm on 4.7.2023
This story originally described the property as a care home. This has now been amended as it did not in fact meet the definition of a care home.
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