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THE OWNER of a night-club in northeast England has been fined £4,000 after a man suffered serious burns while on a night out at the premises.
Ultimate Leisure Limited, owner of Sea Nightclub in Newcastle, was found guilty of breaching the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. Specifically, the company failed in its duty of care to take general fire precautions and failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment.
The prosecution was mounted after Andrew Reilly, 29, suffered severe burns to his back while visiting the nightclub in June 2007. He was leaning against a shelf when a tea light candle, positioned on the shelf, set light to his shirt.
Mr Reilly was taken to Newcastle General Hospital for initial treatment and later transferred to the burns unit at Royal Victoria Hospital.
The court heard that the nightclub’s risk assessment made no mention of the use of tea light candles and that staff were not trained in how to deal with an incident involving naked flames.
Ultimate Leisure Limited was fined a total of £4,000 for two offences under the Fire Safety Order, and was ordered to pay £975 costs.
Commenting on the case, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service’s area manager for community safety, Kevin Hepple, said: ‘On this occasion, Ultimate Leisure failed in its responsibility to protect customers against fire and, as a result, someone was badly injured.
‘I would like to take this opportunity to drive home the message to owners and managers of public premises that it is their responsibility to ensure that staff and customers are safe from fire. This includes carrying out regular fire risk assessments and ensuring there are adequate fire exits and a suitable fire alarm system’.
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