IN THE wake of a fire that took hold within a flat at Tower Chambers on Tower Street in Hartlepool back in 2021 and the successful prosecution of Asset Property Management North East Ltd, Total Safety Events Ltd and Justin Morgan at Teesside Crown Court on 11 September this year, the sentencing process has now been concluded.
On 26 October, Asset Property Management North East Ltd received a £25,000 fine. Total Safety Events Ltd was fined £10,000 and Justin Morgan has been handed a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 120 hours of unpaid work.
Full costs were awarded to the Cleveland Fire Authority to the tune of £29,782.91.
The fire occurred in the early hours of 2 February 2021 and resulted in a total of 17 people being evacuated from the premises (five of them being rescued by firefighters from the Cleveland Fire Brigade, two of whom were rescued thanks to the Fire and Rescue Service ladder).
Asset Property Management North East Ltd pleaded guilty to a total of four offences including failing to provide adequate general fire precautions, failing to make a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, failing to provide adequate fire doors to protect the escape…
