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Fire Safety Failings Lead to Prosecution Following Serious Fire in Converted Church Building
A serious fire at a converted church building in Preston has resulted in substantial fines for the property’s owner and director, following multiple breaches of the fire safety order
At Preston Crown Court today, St Lukes (Preston) Ltd was ordered to pay £60,000 plus costs, while company director Mr Sean Broadhurst was fined £17,000 plus costs. The sentencing follows a devastating fire that broke out in the early hours of 9 January 2020 at the premises on the ground floor.
The fire, which began in the kitchen of a self-contained flat, rapidly spread throughout the building. The ground floor housed 10 general needs flats, while the first floor was a 13-bed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), primarily occupied by students.
When tenants activated the manual call points, and when smoke triggered the smoke detection in the escape routes, the automatic fire system did not sound an audible warning to the tenants. Fortunately, the tenants were able to alert the sleeping occupants in the premises through their own efforts.
Subsequent investigations by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service identified serious fire safety deficiencies, including:
Inadequate fire alarm system
Substandard fire doors
Poor compartmentation
Inadequate fire safety management
Absence of a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)
On 19 May 2025, both St Lukes (Preston) Ltd and Mr Broadhurst pleaded guilty to breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The charges included:
St Lukes (Preston) Ltd – Breach of Article 8
Mr Sean Broadhurst – Breaches of Articles 8 and 9
Area Manager Matthew Hamer, Head of Prevention and Protection at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, commented:
“This case highlights the critical importance of robust fire safety measures and the legal responsibilities of property owners and managers to ensure the safety of occupants.
“The absence of a functioning alarm system and other critical protections placed lives at risk. We welcome the court’s recognition of the seriousness of these breaches and hope this serves as a clear message to all property owners and managers about their legal and moral responsibilities.”
