DWFRS | A Dorset care home has been prosecuted and fined for fire safety failings, which were identified after the death of a vulnerable resident.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) brought a prosecution against Portelet Manor care home in Boscombe, Dorset, following an incident that occurred on 19 June 2023.
A resident who had been smoking in the home’s designated smoking area suffered significant burns and died in hospital eleven days later. Although the Fire and Rescue Service was not called to the incident, it was made aware of what had happened and opened a fire safety investigation.
Portelet Manor Limited was ordered to pay a fine of £70,000 after pleading guilty to a charge brought forward by DWFRS. The company entered the plea to an offence contrary to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that put people at risk of death or serious injury, specifically to article 11, in that they failed to ensure appropriate fire safety arrangements were in place.
In addition to the fine, they were ordered to pay £22,000 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.
Tom Huntley, Fire Safety Prosecution Manager for DWFRS, said: “Firstly, the thoughts of us all at Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service remain with the loved ones, friends and family of the person who tragically lost their life. Public safety is our highest priority, and the court’s finding should serve as a clear message to everyone in Dorset and Wiltshire about the importance of fire safety.”
He added: “We are fully committed to supporting businesses and Responsible Persons to ensure the safety of the public. However, where there is a failure to comply with legal requirements, DWFRS will pursue prosecution action where it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so. This case highlights the very serious consequences of failures in fire safety management.”
