Firefighters deal with 1,500 business blazes in five years

Firefighters have made a plea to firms to ensure risk assessments are up to date — and ask for crews’ help if not.

John Parry, SYFR business support and policies officer, said: “When we talk about business fire safety, it’s not just a form filling exercise.

“It’s a process which helps safeguard businesses from the devastation that fire can cause.

“The sheer fact that we’ve attended such a large amount of fires in non-domestic properties in the last five years shows that this is a real issue. 

“A fire, be it accidental or deliberate, can in some circumstances stop a business from trading altogether.”

SYFR is also offering a range of business-specific safety advice as part of a national safety campaign running this week.

This includes good housekeeping, keeping escape routes clear, providing appropriate equipment and taking steps to protect against arson.

Mr Parry said: “Our message to businesses, especially small and medium sized enterprises which might be particularly vulnerable, is simple: We are here to help.

“If you’ve not got an updated fire risk assessment in place or you have any concerns at all about fire safety then get in touch.”

For information on sprinklers, visit www.syfire.gov.uk/business-advice/sprinklers-2/.

And to contact SYFR’s business safety team, see www.syfire.gov.uk/business-advice/get-in-touch-2/.