My Space Housing Solutions Ltd, a housing provider for vulnerable adults, has been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £15,000 in costs after pleading guilty to fire safety breaches at a property in Barrow-in-Furness.

The prosecution followed a fire on 1 June 2023 that left a tenant with life-threatening injuries. The building's owner, Copperplane Ltd, was also fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs for failing to maintain the fire alarm and emergency lighting systems.

Fire safety failings identified

An inspection by Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service following the fire revealed numerous safety deficiencies, including:

• Flat entrance doors that failed to provide 30 minutes' fire resistance and lacked self-closing devices, smoke seals and intumescent strips.
• No evidence of adequate fire alarm or emergency lighting maintenance.
• Combustible wall cladding and unprotected electrical intake units along the main escape route.
• No fire extinguishers in communal areas.

Prosecutor Warren Spencer told South Cumbria Magistrates' Court that neither company had carried out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, despite the building accommodating vulnerable residents.

Serious injuries and lasting consequences

Two men were airlifted to hospital following the fire, while a third was treated for smoke inhalation.

Tenant Tony Shaw suffered burns to 39% of his face and body and spent six months in hospital, including several weeks in intensive care. He sustained permanent scarring and now requires assistance from carers, describing the impact on his life as "devastating".

Judge highlights systemic failures

District Judge John McGarva described the management of the premises as falling far below expected industry standards, amounting to a "systemic failure" that exposed residents and visitors to significant risk.

While acknowledging the valuable housing service provided by My Space Housing Solutions Ltd, he stressed the serious consequences of fire safety failings.

The court also heard that My Space Housing Solutions Ltd had undergone significant management changes and introduced safety improvements since the incident.

The Judge emphasised that Copperplane Ltd, as landlord, had a responsibility to verify compliance with fire safety requirements rather than relying solely on assurances from the housing provider.

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