Social care staff get fire training after pensioner’s home burned down

HEALTH and social care workers are getting up-to-date fire safety training following the death of a pensioner whose house burned down.

John Strains shunned all efforts to persuade him to move from his wooden home at The Pludds in the Forest of Dean to allow for repairs to be done, and he died when a blaze engulfed it. The chalet was crammed with newspapers and boxes and he lit the home with candles and cooked on a gas stove because the electricity supply was cut off.

The 77-year-old’s death prompted a serious case review by Gloucestershire Safeguarding Adults Board, which made 15 recommendations aimed at making sure the tragedy is not repeated elsewhere.

No one agency which dealt with Mr Strains was blamed for the direct responsibility of his death but the main recommendation of the report was to make sure anyone who comes in to contact with a vulnerable adult is trained in spotting fire risks.

Gloucestershire County Council head of safeguarding adults Helen Godfrey said: “The serious case review found that no agencies that had been in contact with this resident were directly responsible for these tragic circumstances, but that had the fire and rescue service been made aware at an early stage it may have been able to provide him with measures to minimise the risk of fire at home.

“The Gloucestershire Safeguarding Adults Board has since been assured that each agency has adequate fire awareness training in place for staff and is aware of the need to raise such concerns with the fire service. Regular refresher training is also in place.”

Western Power Distribution cut the supply because rats had eaten through the cabling – the report however praises the firm for doing all it could to safeguard him, and his son does not blame the firm for cutting the supply.

Mr Strains was referred to adult social care after the supply was disconnected for safety reasons in January 2010. But officials couldn’t persuade him to move out to allow for repairs to be done.

He died in March 2011.