Boy 7 Dies And 6 In Hospital After Devastating Explosion Destroys House In Newcastle

a reply to: SprocketUK

It's now a legal requirement for landlords to install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in every rental property here in the UK, i think even on every floor now.

Private homeowners are not legally required to have them all the same but they should be.

And will do if they have any sense considering how dangerous built-up gases can become.

I had a friend who died in a student flat down to carbon monoxide poisoning back in the late 90s only 19 years old.

And the fact is it could have been prevented with a £10 alarm like you suggest.

a reply to: andy06shake

I have to say, I don't agree with making it law for homeowners to have smoke alarms.

Landlords though, absolutely.

a reply to: SprocketUK

I have to say, I don't agree with making it law for homeowners to have smoke alarms.

So what if someone below you owns a home and does not bother to fit the appropriate alarm, the house goes up in flames, and so does the one above, or worse explodes like that one?

It's a £10 piece of equipment mate, and if you can afford to own a home, you can afford a smoke alarm.

And if i was an insurance company i would not issue home/building insurance without one being fitted put it that way.

I'm not suggesting tin paling people who dont have one, but up here you used to be able to contact fire services and they would come out and fit one free of charge if you could not afford to do so yourself.

They save lives SprocketUK, and should be compulsory in every home in a similar manner to wearing a seat belt in a car is law by my guess.

www.firefighterfoundation.org.uk...

a reply to: andy06shake

Again I don't like compulsion. Especially when it's for our own good.

Not having a smoke alarm does not make your house a fire risk. Being an idiot makes your house a fire risk.

I don't actually like seatbelt or helmet laws either even though I choose to wear a lid when I'm on the bike.

Smoke alarms are a legal requirement, even in private residences, in Scotland

www.gov.scot...

a reply to: WaESN

I know i have one, with 2 smoke alarms, 2 carbon monoxide detectors and some kind of thermal sensor on the kitchen ceiling(Because its a kitchenette).

I dont imagine its that much different down South.

a reply to: SprocketUK

The problem is that the UK is not exactly an idiot-free zone, and that includes homeowners SprocketUK.

In which case you are your own landlord, responsible for your own home, just like with a private landlord or let.

Again smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors, just the same as seatbelts and bike helmets, save lives.

It's not so much about compulsion as it is common sense by my guess.

I dont like being told what do do nether mate.

But i won't sweat the small stuff if it saves my life, or the lives of others around me.

Each to their own all the same.

a reply to: andy06shake

Fair enough mate, my bro in law was in the fire service and used to bore me stupid about smoke alarms, he would have a fit on finding that we had the batteries out of them

a reply to: SprocketUK

My mum used to do that(take the batteries out).

I think the smoke alarms have to be wired into the mains now.

Her kitchen is at the back of her house, its where she smokes, and like a chimney.

So she's back to having to poke the reset button with the mop pole when she sets it off.

Neighbors must love her.

As to the fire service, they do a man's job, have to give them that.

Respect for what they do.

This is Crazy My daughters house Just blew up 2 days ago in Virgina after contractors hit a gas line thank god, they were told to evacuate She lost everything even her car .

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Sorry to hear that Ravenwatcher.

That looks bloody nasty!

Coming up to Christmas as well.

Hell of a time to end up homeless and lose all your worldly possessions.

Some of which are irreplaceable.

Glad shes ok all the same.

I hope she sues their arse good and proper for their stupid mistake.

And is compensated appropriately.

a reply to: SprocketUK

Thank you for your comment. The first thing we did is buy a carbon monoxide detector and we keep that in good condition. I am petrified of cm poisoning.

a reply to: Hecate666

Well you don't need to worry about CO poisoning if you have a detector. So that's grand.

a reply to: Freeborn

Used to live in an illegal let (didn't find out it was illegally rented until a coluple of months after moving in) - the boilder never worked and had to go without hot water or heating for several months over winter.

The landlord claimed to have sent British Gas to repair the boiler but it was a random guy who knew even less than me about them and was using youtube to learn how to try and repair it - he 'repaired' it and a xouple of days later the pressure was so high it caused pipes to burst and steam to leak out (luckily none of us were injured)

I get mine serviced every year and every qualified plumber/boiler servicer I know won't go anywhere near a Feroli boiler as they're notorious for blowing up as the build quality is so poor.

a reply to: bastion

LoL

I lived in a place(squat) where the electrics were connected to the lamp post outside at the end of the garden back in my student days.

Yeah, you get some right fly-by-night slum landlords willing to send dodgy Dave around to have a look.

Promise you the moon, but give you #e on a plate.

Fact is they are still around in this day of age.

They give you a sheath of paper now, which you have to sign off on, after they do the annual gas inspections.

a reply to: andy06shake

Just to follow up it looks like a second body was found in the rubble, believed to be a man in his 30s. RIP.

Gas service workers remain at the scene which to me implies the possible reason for the explosion although the investigation by emergency services is still underway.

www.bbc.com...