FSO breach: marina store fined

The Hartlepool Mail reports that:-
A DISCOUNT store chain has been hit with a fine after a fire service found emergency exits were blocked during a blaze in one of its shops.

Opus Homewares has been slapped with a £7,500 fine and ordered to pay £4,000 in court costs after a fire in the firm's B&M Home Store, in Highlight Retail Park, Hartlepool, on September 30, 2009. Fire safety officers found bosses had breached regulations five times by blocking exits and took the company to court last week. Cleveland Fire Brigade is now warning other businesses to make sure their premises are up to standard, both to keep people safe and avoid hefty fines. Simon Arora, managing director of Opus Homewares, said his company regrets the incident and has since worked closely with the fire service to make the store safe. Barry Waller, head of fire engineering for Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: "The fire broke out at the front of the store and, after the fire was extinguished by responding fire crews, it was found that several exits were unavailable or obstructed. "The circumstances found at the time of the incident were such that they seriously compromised the safety of the occupants and that is not something the fire brigade can, or will, condone."It is important people realise we take these regulations very seriously and we will take such action whenever necessary."The company was in Hartlepool Magistrates' Court last week for the five offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Ian Hayton, chief fire officer for Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: "I would also like to take this opportunity to remind people that the role of the fire service in relation to fire safety has changed to that of enforcement and that it is the responsibility of owners, occupiers or managers to ensure that suitable and sufficient fire safety arrangements are in place within their premises."