Hertfordshire fire chiefs have echoed a coroner’s concerns about the absence of sprinkler systems following an inquest into the deaths of two care home residents.
Having looked into a case of a fatal fire in Hertfordshire, coroner Geoffrey Sullivan has formally raised concerns that sprinkler systems are not a mandatory requirement for care homes.
An inquest which ended on February 9 determined Daphne Holloway, 88, and Ivy Spriggs, 91, died as a result of fourth degree burns after a fire at a Cheshunt care home in April 2017.
They both lived at Newgrange Residential Care Home, home to 35 residents, and neither appeared to have attempted to leave their rooms when the fire broke out shortly before 6am.
All of the residents inside the home were either unable to mobilise independently or had limited mobility, and several were said to have symptoms of dementia.
Mr Sullivan's report, which has been shared with Cabinet MP Michael Gove, says the fire was caused by resistive heating in the electrical wiring close to the linen cupboard.
An 'inadequate compartmentation' of the roof space caused the fire to spread through the care home more rapidly than expected leading to the collapse of the roof.
In 2019, Newgrange of Cheshunt Ltd admitted five charges of failing to comply with fire safety legislation and was fined £175,000.
In the wake of the inquest, Mr Sullivan has written to Mr Gove calling for action to be taken to prevent future deaths and this has been echoed by Hertfordshire's chief fire officer Alex Woodman.
Mr Woodman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Since the fire, we have worked closely with care providers in the county to support them with fire safety advice and ensure that any lessons can be shared.
"We share the coroner’s concern that fire suppression systems are not currently compulsory in care homes, and that care homes are not due to be subject to the same new regulatory regime as high-rise buildings."
The coroner report states senior firefighters had expressed concern at the inquest that sprinkler systems are not a mandatory requirement for care homes such as Newgrange. It added the fire investigator suggested had there been such a system in place, "the deceased would very likely have survived".
Responding to the coroner's findings, Hertfordshire County Council executive member for public health and community safety, Cllr Morris Bright, said: "It is my view that sprinkler systems are the most effective way to ensure fires are not just suppressed but extinguished, even before fire crews arrive.
"We would hope that wherever possible, care home owners would try and put systems in, to give added safety and to reduce risk.
"It may well be the government bring in legislation, but I am hoping, where possible, owners will do the best they can, as soon as they can. But I do recognise the pressures these homes are under financially."
Mr Gove is required to respond to the coroner's letter by April 7.
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