Suspended sentence over fatal car workshop fire

Smart Auto Parts in Blackburn had no fire alarm and no staff safety training, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service says

A director of a former car garage in Blackburn has been handed a suspended sentence after a man died in a fire at the site.

It broke out at Smart Auto Parts Ltd on 24 April 2021 at about 18:35 BST, engulfing the car parts scrapyard and workshop building and was intensified by the presence of gas cylinders and an asbestos sheet roof.

The body of Waqas Qureshi was found four days later, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) said.

Shahzad Syed Haider, from Manchester, was handed a nine-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, at Preston Crown Court after previously admitting 13 fire safety breaches.

The 50-year-old pleaded guilty to breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, including failure to equip the premises with appropriate fire detection and alarm systems, failure to maintain fire safety equipment and failure to provide employees with relevant fire safety training.

'Complete devastation'

At the time of the blaze the building contained 16 vehicles and a forklift truck, the fire service said.

The presence of acetylene and LPG cylinders and an asbestos sheet roof, caused "complete devastation to the structure and its contents", it added.

A fire safety investigation on 30 April 2021 uncovered several serious fire safety deficiencies at the premises, including no fire alarm system, blocked and inadequate escape routes, lack of emergency lighting and no staff fire safety training.

LFRS area manager, Matthew Hamer, said: "This tragic incident highlights the devastating consequences of neglecting fire safety responsibilities.

"These breaches contributed to the tragic death of Mr Waqas Qureshi and our thoughts are with his family at this time.

"The outcome of this case should serve as a stark reminder that fire safety is not optional - it is a legal and moral obligation."