George Hines

1) The pull-cord in the bedroom of the deceased was found by the Fire Investigation Officer not to be connected to the ceiling switch: Notwithstanding the regular visits by the HSA this defect was not noted and no corrective action had been taken No evidence of a regular planned preventative maintenance programme was given to the Inquest with reg= to ensuring all pull-cords were working and in good order; The Council should implement a regular inspection and maintenance programme for the alarm system if not already in place_ '2) There was a recently installed smoke detector system with battery back up. The Fire Investigation Officer confirmed the smoke detectorwas probably functioning correctly at the time of the fire. The previous stand alone battery smoke detector was also in place. The evidence given to the Inquest was that it was the responsibility of the resident to regularly test the smoke detector and replace the battery as necessary, notwithstanding the flat was sheltered accommodation and the deceased was elderly. The Council should implement a regular programme of its own of inspection, testing and maintenance of the smoke detector
3) The flat has a pull-cord alarm system which is connected 24 hours a to an Emergency Control Room; The recently installed smoke detector alarms only in the individual residents flat and not elsewhere in the building and does not alarm automatically in the ECR. The smoke detector did not alert other residents to the fire_ The Council should consider connecting the smoke detector to the alarm system installed in each flat as well as ensuring it also alarms in the communal area The current advice to residents on discovering a fire is to leave their flat and alert the emergency services by pulling the emergency cord in the communal area or in a neighbours flat: The inquest heard evidence there was no pull-cord in the communal area of this building_ The residents are also instructed that the alternative to pulling the cord was that they should dial 999. Instructions to residents to the cord first may give a false sense of security that the emergency services have been alerted even if they receive no audible response from the ECR The Council should revise its instructions to residents in the event of fire generally and specifically that they are instructed to dial 999 first before taking any other action.