The owner of a Cheshire timber yard has had to pay out a total of £130,000 following repeated breaches of the fire safety regulations.
During a hearing before Chester Crown Court, Paul Ashley of P&S Ashley Timberworks, Sandbach, admitted repeatedly breaching fire safety regulations.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Services had visited the site on a number of occasions and pressed for a conviction of the firm after seeing how timber was stored.
The court heard that Mr Ashley had been repeatedly warned by inspectors that the way timber was piled high and the lack of fire alarms and escape exits was a serious risk. But he refused to carry out the essential fire safety work needed.
“Mr Ashley was aware the site was an area that had seen several fires in recent years,” said Bernard Thorogood, prosecuting.
Passing sentence, Judge Elgin Edwards said that if fire had broken out at the site the consequences could have been deadly.
Mr Ashley was fined £80,000 with £50,000 costs to be payable to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. He has three years to pay the full amount.
