NFRS 2024 44 - Litmus Building

You asked for

I kindly request the release of the report on the fire and explosions that occurred at the Litmus Building on 29 April 2024. Specifically, I am interested in the following information:

1. The extent of damages sustained by the Litmus Building in the -3 and -2 car parks as a result of the fire and explosions. Residents are not allowed to park there. There is an understanding among residents that the -3 and -2 car parkfloors could collapse at any time. Is this true?
2. The extent of structural damage sustained by the Litmus Building as a result of the fire and explosions.
3. An assessment of the likelihood of the entire building collapsing due to the aforementioned structural damage, pre-existing water damage, or extended mismanagement.
4. What failures in management did you identify that could have prevented the fireand explosion disaster from happening?
5. The cause and reason for the fire and explosion.
6. How did the arsonist gain access to the car park, considering it is supposed to be secured with CCTV and 24-hour concierge/surveillance?
7. What provisions or recommendations are there if such a fire and explosion disaster happens again, especially considering the 4-hour gap when the concierge/security is closed and unmanned during weeknights at the Litmus?
8. Are the sprinklers working in the Litmus Building? There is an understanding among residents that they did not work on the day of the fire and explosions.

I would appreciate it if you could provide any relevant information or reports concerning these aspects of the incident.

Our Response

1. The extent of damages sustained by the Litmus Building in the -3 and -2 car parks as a result of the fire and explosions. Residents are not allowed to park there. There is an understanding among residents that the -3 and -2 car parkfloors could collapse at any time. Is this true?

   Answer: - No Information Held, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service are not qualified building surveyors. It is the responsibility of the buildings responsible person to ensure the structural condition of the building. Where crews have concerns, they can request a building surveyor which is recorded within the incident log, no such request was made.

2. The extent of structural damage sustained by the Litmus Building as a result of the fire and explosions.

   Answer: - No Information Held, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service do not record the extent of the structural damage within our incident reports.

3. An assessment of the likelihood of the entire building collapsing due to the aforementioned structural damage, pre-existing water damage, or extended mismanagement.

   Answer: - No Information Held, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service are not qualified building surveyors. It is the responsibility of the buildings responsible person to ensure the structural condition of the building. Where crews have concerns, they can request a building surveyor which is recorded within the incident log, no such request was made.

4. What failures in management did you identify that could have prevented the fireand explosion disaster from happening?

   Answer: - No Information Held, incident was the result of a deliberate ignition to which Nottinghamshire Police has arrested and charged an individual for arson with intent to endanger life. Suspect charged with arson after city centre blaze | Nottinghamshire Police

5. The cause and reason for the fire and explosion.

   Answer: - Deliberate Ignition via Naked Flame (arson).

6. How did the arsonist gain access to the car park, considering it is supposed tobe secured with CCTV and 24-hour concierge/surveillance?

   Answer: - No Information Held, this information would be held by Nottinghamshire Police as it is their remit to investigate criminal offences.

7. What provisions or recommendations are there if such a fire and explosion disaster happens again, especially considering the 4-hour gap when theconcierge/security is closed and unmanned during weeknights at the Litmus?

   Answer: - Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service has Site Specific Risk Information(SSRI) which is made available to our operational crews when attending incidents forspecific buildings. The last review for the Litmus building was on 12/07/2024.

8. Are the sprinklers working in the Litmus Building? There is an understandingamong residents that they did not work on the day of the fire and explosions.

   Answer: - No Information Held, regulation 7 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations2022 requires responsible persons of high-rise residential buildings to undertakemonthly routine checks of specific fire safety equipment. Fire suppressions systemsare covered by this regulation and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service have notreceived any report of this system being inoperable.