A Coventry businessman has been hit with a £48,000 fine after fire safety officers discovered nine men sleeping inside a derelict office block in Peterlee, County Durham. The property—Ridgemount House—was owned by Tarlochan Singh, director of 5th Capital Limited.
During a late‑night inspection, officers found the men camping on the third floor and uncovered multiple life‑threatening fire safety breaches, including:
- No fire risk assessment
- No working fire alarms or detectors
- Blocked and unsafe emergency exits
- Inadequate emergency lighting
- Lack of proper fire‑resistant doors
Authorities confirmed the men had been working on another building owned by Singh, and were being housed in unsafe conditions. Judge Joanne Kidd described the building as “fundamentally derelict”, emphasising that the occupants would have been at serious risk of death in the event of a fire.
Singh pleaded guilty to eight offences under the Fire Safety Order and was ordered to pay the fine plus £45,711 in costs. Fire officials said the breaches posed an “immediate risk to life,” prompting an instant prohibition on the building’s use. [hartlepoolmail.co.uk], [ddfire.gov.uk]
