18 January 2008

The HSE has issued an Improvement Notice to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Authority as part of an ongoing investigation into the deaths of four firefighters.

Ashley Stephens, John Averis and Darren Yates-Badley died in November last year while fighting a blaze at a warehouse in Atherstone-on-Stour. Ian Reid died later in hospital.

The HSE is working with Warwickshire police, who are leading the criminal investigation.

On 16 January, Alan Craddock, head of operations for the HSE in the Midlands region, said: "As a result of our work on this investigation HSE has formed the opinion, based on the evidence we have seen, that the current arrangements employed by the fire and rescue authority do not comply with the statutory duties to provide its firefighters with all the information they should have to assist them in making the appropriate decisions when attending a fire."

The Improvement Notice requires the authority "to make the appropriate arrangements to gather and take action in response to information about special risks which may be present at premises where firefighters may have to deal with emergencies."

Specifically, the notice says the authority should draw up an action plan for the inspection of premises, giving priority to higher-risk premises. The authority should also ensure arrangements are reviewed at appropriate intervals.

The fire authority has 21 days in which to appeal the notice.

The investigation is continuing.

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Fire, HSE, Public services, News, Enforcement (prosecutions), Enforcement (prosecutions)