Over the last few weeks our MD has seen and shared his views on the building fires that are occurring across the country; fire safety is essential to not only protect those buildings, especially the heritage ones, but more importantly to prevent death.
In this blog we review the fires that have occurred recently, and provide our input on how to protect lives and buildings from the destruction that fires wreak.
Recent UK fires
This section is designed to provide a wake up call to ALL building owners in the commercial and heritage space; we are really clear on our stance – poor systems or no fire alert systems means loss of the building or complete disruption to your operations and in the cases of heritage buildings it often means loss of the building. Something we have seen in our home city of Derby where the Hippodrome has had catastrophic and multiple fires over the last year meaning demolition was the only action the council could take. Fire safety HAS to be a priority.
Bicester Motion – a tragic warehouse fire
A devastating inferno broke out at a vintage vehicle hangar at Bicester Motion in Oxfordshire, claiming the lives of two firefighters and a civilian, with two more injured. Investigations are ongoing, but the scale of the blaze and fatal outcome highlights how fire in commercial storage can escalate unexpectedly with catastrophic effects.
Commercial Storage Yard in Sheffield
An accidental fire erupted in a scaffold storage yard on a busy road in Sheffield, it was attended by three fire engines. The fire was started accidently and although there were no injuries, this incident underlines the need for robust fire protection in industrial zones.
Tottenham Industrial Unit Blaze
Sixty firefighters and eight engines tackled a significant fire in a commercial workshop in Tottenham. The incident reaffirmed the need for functional suppression systems and regular fire risk assessments .
Sydenham Office Fire
A ground‑floor commercial office was damaged when a fire, likely to be due to electrical resistive heating, broke out in a property lacking any smoke detection. Although no one was hurt, the business-level disruption and unintended risk exposure was very clear.
HSE Spotlight: Legal action and corporate accountability for fire safety
A recent HSE prosecution of a construction company shows that failure to comply with fire safety laws can lead to legal consequences, fines, and reputational harm. It emphasises the critical necessity of adhering to the Fire Safety Order and maintaining legally compliant installations.
This construction company has been prosecuted for its repeated failures around fire safety as it redeveloped a former warehouse in Preston City Centre. Glovers Court Ltd were found guilty of four offences following its project to build 35 apartments over six floors. The Altrincham-based firm was fined £165,000 following a HSE investigation which included collaborative work with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS).
LFRS identified a number of fire safety issues during a visit in May 2023 and when HSE inspectors followed this up ten days later, they found the following failures:
- No fire detection system
- No means of raising the alarm in case of a fire
- Inadequate escape plans
- Construction work had not been phased to ensure fire compartmentation was maintained throughout the project to prevent fire spreading to all floors
Read more about the case CLICK HERE
Why Commercial and Heritage buildings need effective and working fire systems
Fire safety is important for buildings with workers in, for buildings that are visited as tourist attractions and for old buildings that are sometimes just sitting there, only this weekend a derelict building in Derbyshire countryside had a devastating fire with smoke that could be seen for miles and miles.
The challenges for fire safety that commercial, old, heritage and unused buildings face are:
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Legacy challenges: older structures often have outdated or missing detection systems, faulty wiring, poor compartmentation, and absence of sprinklers.
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Greater risk: commercial, heritage and unused buildings often have factors that bring a higher risk for fire devastation (no fire detection systems, stock that burns easily and sites that are wanted for other uses as an example) making early detection and containment vital.
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Regulatory scrutiny: post-Grenfell reforms have increased oversight, with legal obligations resting squarely on owners and managers of buildings.
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Operating continuity: aside from protecting life, deployed systems prevent costly business disruption, a fire can shut down operations for weeks or longer. With a derelict building that can still be an issue as surrounding buildings could be effected and pass losses onto the building owner.
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Insurance & liability: high-quality, maintained systems can reduce insurance premiums and mitigate legal liability in fire incidents.
JKE Fire & Security: your Partner in Resilient Fire Protection for great fire safety
At JKE Fire & Security, we support building owners, managers, and landlords, especially those overseeing commercial or older properties, in implementing robust, fully compliant fire safety solutions. Here’s how we help:
Tailored Risk Assessments
Site-specific evaluations including alarm coverage, detection types, escape route alignment, and suppression adequacy.
Expert design and installation
Fire alarm systems linked to central monitoring, advanced aspirating detectors for early alert, wet/dry riser installations, and both wet and dry sprinkler systems – all following BS 5839 and BS 5266 standards.
Regular Testing & Maintenance
Fire alarms and extinguishers tested per regulation. Sprinklers undergo six-month inspections and annual servicing. Emergency lighting checks; monthly lamps and yearly battery servicing.
Refurb support for older/heritage buildings
Retrofitting minimal intrusion systems, integrating discrete modern tech into listed buildings, and bringing alarm coverage up to current standards.
Compliance and reporting
Documentation for Fire Risk Assessments, service logs, and system certifications to aid in legal accountability and insurance compliance.
The past three months of UK fire history reveal a core truth: no building, no matter its age or use, is immune to fire risk. Incidents across hangars, industrial units, and retail spaces highlight failures in detection, suppression, or system maintenance, with real-world costs measured in lives, livelihoods, and legal penalties.
Through tailored fire safety system design, professional installation, and stringent upkeep, JKE Fire & Security ensures your property is not just protected but responsibly managed to fulfil regulatory standards and safeguard your business.
Next Steps
Want to conduct a fire safety audit for your commercial premises?
Need help upgrading older buildings to modern fire safety standards?
Seeking ongoing maintenance packages to maintain system compliance?
Contact JKE Fire & Security via jkesecurity.co.uk to schedule a free consultation and strengthen your building’s fire resilience.