Meat store fire threatened flats above
Last week a fire at a Halal meat store in High Wycombe led to the evacuation of flats above the store. Fortunately no-one was hurt but the incident demonstrates that insurance for business needs to be properly specified.
Nine residents were in the flats at the time of the blaze, two of whom had to be taken out by members of one of the three fire crews in attendance. Flames never reached the flats but dense smoke did, hence the evacuation. The store was badly damaged by smoke and flames and the fire is believed to have started in freezers.
The implications for business insurance are that electrical safety tests should be carried out regularly and consistently to ensure that insurance policies remain valid. In a fire like this landlord insurance would have been required for the flats above, insurance for the shop itself, and then business continuity insurance.
Many small businesses never recover from fires and any business that believes they might be under-insured should immediately check their policies and schedules. If necessary, get a business insurance quote.
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May 28th 2010