24 May 2013
Ivey Place Limited, the owner of Swansea’s Grand Hotel, has been fined £1,500 after admitting six breaches of fire safety regualtions.
City magistrates heard that fire safety experts found that the property had a fire door, which should have given an escape onto the high street, but instead would keep people inside in the event of a blaze.
No fire alarm was present and lighting that should help guide people to a fire exit had failed, leaving people at greater risk. A fire risk assessment had also not been completed on the property.
The South Wales Evening Post quoted prosecuting barrister David Stotesbury QC as saying: “As a result, if a fire broke out people would have endeavoured to go to and escape at that fire exit and be unable to exit into a place of safety.
“In the view of the fire service they would have been overcome by smoke and fumes and would have died.”
Copyright Press Association 2013