Fire service committed to preventing caravan fires
BBCA fire officer is calling for all caravans to have alarms installed following a fire that killed a father and his daughter.
Esme Baker, 10, and her father Lee Baker, 48, from Retford, died from smoke inhalation at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, on 5 April.
Dan Moss, area manager for prevention and protection at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said he did not think there was a fire alarm installed in Mr Baker's caravan, which would have been a legal requirement had it been owned by the holiday park.
He said: "We want to make sure that, at the absolute bare minimum, any type of property has detection in there for that early warning of a fire."
An inquest was held into the deaths of Esme and Mr Baker at Lincoln Coroner's Court on 9 December.
Greater Lincolnshire assistant coroner Lindsay Tasker determined their deaths had been accidental, following the "inhalation of the products of combustion".
After the inquest, Mr Moss said: "We were unable to pinpoint exactly whether it was smoking materials that may have not been disposed of carefully and appropriately or it may have been an item inside the caravan that was plugged in, an electrical item, so it may have been an electrical fault."
He said the fire service did not think there had been a fire alarm installed in the caravan, which was owned by Mr Baker.
"We're absolutely committed to trying to prevent these types of incidents happening in the future," Mr Moss said.
Mr Moss said the fire service was working with East Lindsey District Council and the National Fire Chief Council to "see what safety measures we can put in place".
He added: "There is legislation in place governing caravan safety, but we recognise that aspects haven't been reviewed for some time."
The National Caravan Council (NCC), which represents the UK caravan industry, states that a caravan which is only for private use does not fall under fire safety law such as the Fire Safety Order.
"There is no legal requirement to install smoke alarms by fire safety legislation in this situation - but national building/industry standards and good practice strongly recommend them," it states.
NCC adds that caravans used for letting purposes by park owners, caravans owners or the park on behalf of the caravan owner must have "suitable safety measures including the fire detection and fire alarm system".
Advice from the fire service when staying in caravans and at holiday parks includes checking there is working smoke detection and to consider escape routes.
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