Charges brought over retirement complex blaze

More than 150 people lost their homes after the fire in August 2019

Six companies are facing charges over a fire that destroyed a retirement village.

Although nobody was injured, more than 150 people lost their homes at Beechmere in Crewe after the blaze in August 2019.

A case brought by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service alleges the companies failed to comply with fire safety legislation.

It said that during its investigation, alleged breaches were also discovered at another retirement complex in Winsford.

The blaze was one of the biggest that the Cheshire fire service had ever dealt with, it said, with more than 70 firefighters sent to the scene.

It left the complex completely destroyed and 123 residents had to be rescued.

The retirement complex was completely destroyed in the fire, however nobody was hurt

At the time, the fire service said the fire had not behaved in the way crews would have expected.

Over the past four years, Cheshire Fire and Rescue said its officers had been working "tirelessly" to investigate what caused the fire.

"This has been a long and complex process owing to the scale of the fire and the number of parties involved in designing, building, maintaining and managing the building," a spokesperson said.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue said it had found safety breaches at other retirement complexes after the fire

During the investigation, it said it uncovered safety breaches at another retirement village, Hazelmere in Winsford, and some charges had been brought in relation to this development in addition to Beechmere.

It added that remedial work has since been carried out at Hazelmere as well as other linked developments.

It has brought charges against companies involved in designing and building the complex as well as firms responsible for repairs, roofing works, facilities management and fire risk assessments.

The Conservative MP for Crewe and Nantwich, Dr Kieran Mullan, said residents and their families had "been very frustrated at the long wait to get the answers that they deserve".

He said some former residents had since died.

The six companies due to appear at Warrington Magistrates' Court on 8 August are:

• Avantage (Cheshire) Ltd

• Your Housing Ltd

• Morgan Sindall Property Services Ltd

• WSP UK Ltd

• Total Fire Group Ltd

• MAC Roofing and Contractors Ltd

All are accused of failing to comply with the Fire Safety (Regulatory Reform) Order 2005.

None have yet entered a plea and the BBC has contacted the companies for comment.

Your Housing Ltd said it was reviewing the alleged breaches in the period leading up to the fire.

A spokesperson told the BBC: "The priority of everyone at Your Housing and Avantage remains with customers, families and colleagues who were affected by the fire at Beechmere in 2019, and we are working closely with the community as the scheme is redeveloped.

"We continue to invest in fire safety across all our properties."