Bristol, Bath UK - Fire Alarms UK News February 2020

Fire alarms always a very newsworthy topic, unfortunately, often for the wrong reasons. Here is a roundup of the latest news (February 2020) concerning commercial fire alarms in the UK, including a Manager bring imprisoned for his part in installing fire alarms at Grenfell Tower.

Manager at the firm responsible for installing fire alarms at Grenfell Tower is jailed for six years after he took £800,000 in bribes from subcontractors in return for securing them work

A former manager at the company responsible for installing fire alarms at Grenfell Tower has been jailed for six years for taking £800,000 in bribes, reports the Dialy Mail.

Lee Wylie, an £88,000-a-year divisional director at Lakehouse Contractors Ltd, told sub-contractors they needed to pay £100 sweeteners to guarantee jobs or he would go elsewhere, Southwark Crown Court heard.

He helped secure contracts for Richard Lee, 35, Mark Middleton, 51, and Stephen Ellis, 51, while Leslie Ratty, 68, laundered tens of thousands of the corrupt payments through bank accounts.Fire alarm news uk February 2020

Wylie, 47, also received £10,000 in bribes from Costas Polycarpous, 42, whose firm Polytech supplied emergency lighting, fire alarms and hard-wired smoke alarms to Lakehouse.

Prosecutor John Hardy said although Lakehouse had supplied the fire alarms at Grenfell this case is ‘wholly unconnected to the tragic events’ which took place.

Wylie, of Basildon, Essex, used the money to splash out on luxury holidays, cars, watches, and even a specially made grandfather clock.

He admitted bribery and theft and was sentenced to six years of imprisonment.

A whistleblower who reported fraud within Lakehouse in 2013 sparked an investigation by Hackney Homes, which provides social housing for the London borough.

The wrongdoing was referred by the council to the Metropolitan Police in July 2014.

Lakehouse had been sub-contracted by Hackney Homes to carry out a fire risk assessment on properties owned by the council.

In turn, they sub-contracted companies including Spicers Carpentry, run by Ellis and Lee, and MJM Ltd, run by Middleton.

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Other News Stories:

Government relaunches Fire Kills campaign

Adverts launched this month will highlight everyday fire hazards and urge the public to install smoke alarms on every floor.

The Fire Kills campaign has returned to highlight the everyday accidents that can cause a fire in your home.

Derby businessman put up workers in ‘death trap’ rooms

A Derby businessman had so few fire prevention measures at a property he leased in the city centre the occupants would have died should a blaze have broken out, reports Derbyshire Live.

Residents paying £10,000 a week for fire wardens over safety concerns

Residents in two apartment blocks have been paying £10,000 a week for fire warden patrols due to safety concerns, reports the BBC.

Landlords who rented out a house without working smoke alarms FINED after teenage boy dies in fire

A judge has fined two private landlords for illegally renting out an unlicensed house without working smoke alarms to tenants whose teenage son died after it caught fire, reports the Sutton & Croydon Guardian.

Large fire ravages pet crematorium

Firefighters from around the county battled to control the blaze on Shaftesbury Road in West Stour, North Dorset.

Read our full news stories here: elitefiresecurity.co.uk/fire-alarms-uk-news-february-2020/