TOWN CAR PARK COULD BE DEADLY IF A FIRE STARTED (From Warrington Guardian)

TOWN CAR PARK COULD BE DEADLY IF A FIRE STARTED

A MULTI-STOREY car park in Winsford has been slammed as 'potentially deadly' after emergency exits were found to be locked.

An officer from Winsford Fire Station visited the car park off The Drumber in Winsford town centre on Monday afternoon and discovered the emergency exits locked with a padlock and chain.

Andy Banks, subofficer at Winsford Fire Station, said yesterday, Tuesday: "There is a low ceiling so if a car was to set on fire it could be a potentially deadly situation because a lot of smoke would be generated and spread very quickly.

"There would also be poisonous gases generated so it is something we are taking extremely seriously.

"This is an area that is accessed by many members of the public and to have the emergency exits locked is just bang out of order - this kind of thing should never happen.

"Officers are chasing this up with the people responsible as we speak.

"Emergency exits should never be locked, they are there for quite obvious reasons.

"In an emergency you follow the exit signs but if when you reach that exit it is locked the consequences may be disastrous."

The problem was first noticed by Winsford town councillor Des Worthington, who was 'appalled' by the lack of regard for public safety.

He said: "I couldn't believe fire exits in an area used by thousands of people every day would be locked.

"Fire exits provide an escape from a deadly situation and as far as I'm concerned there is no excuse for this.

"I'm just thankful it has been spotted now because if a fire had started in that car park we would have had a possible loss of life."

The Guardian attempted to contact the owners of the car park and was told by Modus, the company responsible for the shopping centre, that it was owned by Asda.

But a spokeswoman from Asda said it was a company called Buckinghams which is responsible for the car park

She said: "The fire exits are not our responsibility but I have spoken with our security manager who said as far as she is aware they are locked at night but always open during the day."

phennessey@guardiangrp.co.uk