Fire chiefs investigating a blaze at a Dundee academy have been told eight safety failures highlighted months and years earlier were still not resolved by the time flames enveloped the school.
A report given to officers probing September’s blaze at Braeview Academy confirms required actions, including replacing the entire CCTV system and locks being fitted to cupboards to individual gas shut-off valves, were never completed.
Safety experts said work to both the CCTV and the locks should have been completed by or shortly after March.
A further three of the eight incomplete requirements had repeatedly been highlighted to education bosses over a five-year period, including the need to replace and upgrade the full fire alarm system and “sub-standard” fire exits.
School administrators also failed to ensure chain link fence surrounding the property was replaced with a new high-level metal fence and “gates all round”, despite local residents previously reporting a series of deliberate blazes in the area.
Further measures such as lighting equipment being properly serviced, fire stopping being fitted and the installation of disabled lifts and access to required departments were also not completed by the time of the fire.
Council leader John Alexander said last that month that 42 of the 44 required actions detailed in a fire assessment sent to educators in December “were complete or already in progress before the fire took place at Braeview”.
However, the report to investigators, based on a statement given by the school’s headteacher last month, makes no reference to on-site work commencing on any of the eight still unresolved measures.
A number of the actions were put forward in January for inclusion in Dundee City Council’s capital spending plan but the local authority would not be drawn on whether any action was taken beyond this.
Some measures were set to begin from December this year, in keeping with agreed timescales, but a senior member of school staff said they had “no recollection” of work beginning on a number of the requirements.
Children and families services convener Stewart Hunter insisted “all the urgent points” raised in the fire risk assessment had been implemented.
He said: “The majority of the points that were in progress when the fire occurred were priority 4, which means they were classed as long term and wouldn’t be done until the school was due to be upgraded or refurbished.
“Had it been urgent that they needed to be done they would have been. There’s nothing in these action points that should give parents any concern.”
Mr Hunter was asked to clarify what work had been carried out on the eight measures, beyond including some of them in the authority’s Capital Plan in January, but did not respond.
IN FULL: Outstanding requirements highlighted to Braeview investigators
Recommend that the entire CCTV system is replaced and upgraded
Recommend that the cupboards to individual gas shut-off valves in the Science classrooms all have locks fitted to them.
Recommend that all stage lighting and sound equipment be serviced annually and maintained under the Health & Safety Contracts.
Recommend to upgrade and replace all older sub-standard fire doors that don’t comply – don’t open in the direction of exit, have gaps or don’t have any closers, strips and seals fitted.
Install and provide lifts/disabled access to the PE and Technical Departments.
Recommend that all voids and ducts requiring fire stopping to be identified and remedy considered together with future improvements/developments.
Upgrade and replace the entire fire alarm system to reach required standards; to provide automatic detection and transmission of signals.
Recommend that the chain link fence surrounding the property is replaced with a new high level metal fence and gates all round.
