Serious fire-safety breaches cost Asda

National food retailer Asda Stores Limited has been ordered to pay more than £55,000 in fines and costs for committing serious fire-safety breaches at a store in Berkshire.

The inspection was carried out following a complaint, identified serious breaches to fire-safety regulations, including:

• two fire-exit doors chained and locked shut;
• obstruction of fire-escape routes;
• combustible items obstructing fire-exit doors and escape routes; and
• fire-exit doors wedged open.

The court also heard that the company had previously been served with a caution in July 2000 for two contraventions relating to other fire-safety regulations.