FOCUS
Keep it safe To preserve and maintain heritage buildings during renovation work, Bradley Markham places fire safety at the top of the agenda
I
N 2019, 459 fires were recorded in heritage buildings1
and the fi res that occurred in the most recent events have struck during the
renovation of a listed building. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 was designed in line with modern buildings and, in the case of a fire, the building can be rebuilt. But this does not always apply to heritage buildings – once a fi re starts, its history and value are also lost. According to the British Property Foundation,
there are around 376,000 listed buildings in England, many of which are in use and maintained. However, problems can occur when those buildings fall out of use: poor conditions, decay and dilapidation often lead to maintenance, repair or restoration work. Such costly procedures require that a high level of care is taken to preserve the building during the refurbishment process.
Impact on heritage
During the restoration of any listed or historical building, fi re safety is clearly crucial because these locations hold signifi cant value from a
32 APRIL 2020
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historical, educational, community and social perspective, and therefore the need to protect these buildings from fires is great. However, recent events demonstrate that fire safety during reconstruction still needs to be taken more seriously. The Camden Palace Ballroom music venue
in London is a prime example. In January 2020, the venue suffered a major fi re breakout during renovation work. The fi re spread outside of normal working hours when noone was on site, and so it was less protected. The fi re spread rapidly, consuming 30% of the original roof. Last year, Notre-Dame in Paris suffered the consequences of a catastrophic fi re. Offi cials suggested that extensive renovation works taking place at the cathedral might have been involved, with one fire investigation expert noting a high incidence of churches, synagogues and temples going up in fl ames while under repair2
. These events not only highlight the impact
that fires have on heritage buildings, but also how completely irreplaceable some heritage buildings of such historical signifi cance can be.
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