Suspended sentence for landlord after 11 locked up …

A landlord has been sentenced to six months in prison – 18 months suspended – and 250 hours of community service after admitting breaching fire safety laws.

Zahir Ahmed, from Sheffield, appeared before Sheffield Crown Court after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to six counts of failing to comply with articles of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

When a fire broke out at around 3:25 a.m. on February 25, 2022, eleven people were trapped in the building in Sheffield.

Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus located the people and remained with them until the fire could be extinguished and the building ventilated.

The incident also caused the only staircase in the building to collapse, causing a firefighter to fall down the stairs.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service fire safety inspection officers found during an investigation after the incident that there were no fire alarms or emergency lighting, fire doors were of a poor standard and there was no stairwell ventilation.

The Honourable Judge Robinson concluded that, given the seriousness of the offences, the fact that they related to two premises, that there had been multiple breaches of the regulations and that there was a real risk of serious harm to persons, a term of imprisonment must be imposed.

Ahmed was sentenced to six months in prison for each of the two offences, suspended for 18 months.

He must complete 250 hours of unpaid community service. He must pay £10,000 in legal costs, or £1,000 per month.

Passing sentence, Judge Robinson said: “Mr Ahmed showed wilful disregard for the safety of any person. There had been a terrible fire in which a fireman fell down the stairs. It could have been catastrophic and was, in my view, a near fatal fire.”

Deputy Fire Chief Andy Strelczenie said: “Landlords and other responsible parties have a primary responsibility to prevent fires. Then, should a fire occur in a building for which they are responsible, other protective measures are absolutely critical.”

“This fire could have had catastrophic consequences if our firefighters had not worked so professionally. Given the lack of fire protection systems and management on site, it was a great stroke of luck in this case that no one died.

“This ruling is a reminder to all those responsible that we can and will prosecute people if they do not obey the laws that are designed to keep people safe.”

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