Two companies have been fined a total of £160,000 over the huge fire that destroyed a Primark shop in a historic building in Belfast city centre.
The blaze at the Grade B1-listed, five-storey Bank Buildings on Royal Avenue happened almost five years ago. Thankfully, due to a swift evacuation of all people from that building, there were no injuries or fatalities caused by the fire. The building has since been rebuilt at a cost of £100 million and reopened last year.
Bennett Management Contractors (GB) Ltd and AF Roofing admitted health and safety breaches and were each fined £80,000 at Belfast Crown Court. In June this year they pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the health and safety of their employees as well as other workers of those not in their employment.
Issuing the fines on Friday, the judge said Bennett Management Contractors (GB) Ltd, had four weeks to pay given that it has an annual turnover of more than £30 million. Irish firm AF Roofing was given more time to pay the fine because it has a much smaller annual turnover. The judge said £20,000 must be paid by the end of this year, another £30,000 by the end of 2024, and the remainder by the end of 2025.
The fire happened on 28 August 2018 and lasted for several days, gutting the building and leading to the closure of part of the city centre for months. The court previously heard that a crane driver raised the alarm after seeing smoke on the roof of the Primark shop that morning.
Three employees of AF Roofing, a qualified roofer and two trainees, one of whom was a fire marshal, had been working on the roof of the building but had left for a tea break. After the alarm was raised workers on the site tried to put out the fire with extinguishers but eventually the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service was contacted and took over the scene.
Graham Cardwell, Senior Prosecutor of the Public Prosecution Service, said an investigation by the Northern Ireland Health and Safety Executive and the fire service found there were health and safety failings. He said: "None of the offences allege that the health and safety failings caused the fire, but that employees and non-employees were exposed to risks to their health or safety as a result of the failings uncovered in the investigation.
"The defendants accepted that such failings occurred".
Mr Cardwell added the conclusion of the case should act as an incentive to other companies to ensure they have carefully monitored and robust processes in place to ensure people's health and safety.
