The Valentine’s Day tragedy that could have been prevented.

Today 37 years ago, a tragedy occurred in the Stardust nightclub in Dublin. 48 youngsters died and 214 were injured on that night.

The fire was started in a first-floor store room inside the building that was open to the roof space. The fire outbreak derived from an electrical fault in the room beside the roof space. This non-Planning compliant first floor storage room contained dangerously flammable materials including 45x5 gallon drums of cooking oil. The fire spread quickly through the roof void. The ceiling tiles melted in the heat and this caused flames to fall on the dancers below and as the room was brimming with flammable materials such as wall tiles and seating, the fire spread very quickly. The fire flashover enveloped the club and the lights failed. This caused mass panic as patrons began desperately looking for an escape.

Sadly, some of the escape routes were blocked and some fire exit doors had heavy chains draped around them making them difficult to open. A lack of adequate emergency lighting and escape route signage meant many people mistook the entrance to the men's toilets for the main entrance doors but the windows there had metal plates fixed on the inside and iron bars on the outside. Firemen attempted in vain to pull off the metal bars using a chain attached to a fire engine. Firemen rescued between 25-30 of those trapped in the front toilets.

Afterwards there was an investigation as to the cause of the fire which controversially was determined to be arson. The families of those who lost their loved ones disputed this and instead said the blame lay with the owners of Stardust because of inadequate safety measures. After a few years, the Irish Government changed the finding to “unknown cause” but the club could not be sued.

It transpired that the issues raised by the local fire brigade had not been resolved, staff had no training in using fire extinguishers and very importantly they had not been trained in evacuation procedures. The lesson that we want to be learnt from this tragedy is to ensure that you have an up to date fire risk assessment in your restaurant, club, office or school. This will highlight any issues that relate to the safe evacuation of the occupants, it will also provide a detailed action plan in order to achieve compliance.

We can also help with staff training in emergency procedures and use of fire extinguishers.

Fatal High Rise Fire Should Be a Wake Up Call Says Judge.

Social Housing provider Lewisham Homes has been fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £23,407 prosecution costs for breaking fire safety laws following a fatal fire in a tower block in which two women died. Lewisham Homes were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday 29th January after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to failing to properly maintain fire doors and failing to review an existing fire risk assessment, which was carried out in 2008.

In sentencing, His Honour Judge Justice Christopher Hehir said the prosecution, which was brought by the London Fire Brigade, should act as a "wake up call", by highlighting the risks of not maintaining fire safety features in residential high rise buildings. An investigation by Fire Officers revealed serious safety failings relating to the failure to maintain fire doors, which directly contributed to the spread of the fire.

The flat in which the fire started was fitted with a metal security door which prevented the existing fire door behind it from being closed.

A combination of the severity of the fire and the lack of effective separation between the flat where the fire started and the building's communal areas meant fire and smoke rapidly entered the communal areas and also the neighbouring flat in which the two women who died were trapped.

After the sentencing, the London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety Neil Orbell said: "Living in a high rise building is not more dangerous than living in a house but this tragic incident is a stark reminder of the potentially lethal consequences of failing to maintain the vital safety features, such as fire doors, which are built into them to give you protection from fire”.

A new year and a new job for Josh!

AGO is pleased to welcome our new trainee surveyor, Josh Godfrey. Josh has recently left college and has been looking for a challenging career and following some recent work experience started full time at the beginning of January. He is currently conducting work placed training out in the field and will commence his Nebosh Health & Safety training this autumn. Extensive Fire Safety training will follow in 2016. Welcome on board Josh!

New Twitter Account

We are developing our social media and now have a new Twitter account. Come and find us @AgoSafety – We’ll give you a special welcome tweet!