Hundreds of shoppers were evacuated from a shopping centre in Oxfordshire yesterday after an electrical fire broke out on the premises.
Fire crews were called to the Castle Quay Shopping Centre in Banbury shortly after 1pm on Sunday (8thJanuary) to tackle the blaze, which started in an electrical room.
Firefighters used breathing apparatus and thermal imaging cameras to help combat the flames, which were close to high-voltage cables in the power distribution system. Shoppers and staff were allowed back into the centre at around 3pm.
Banbury’s station manager Chris Wilson told the Banbury Guardian: “The efficient and effective method of calling the fire service in this instance, joined with the speed and weight of the fire service attendance, meant that damage was limited and nobody was hurt.”
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a ‘suitable and sufficient’ fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in England and Wales.
If the fire risk assessment is deemed to be carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to two years