A care home in Croydon has been hit with fines and costs totaling nearly £70,000 for putting its elderly residents at risk of fire.
Morven Healthcare Ltd, which runs Morven House, admitted breaking fire safety laws and pleaded guilty to five offences in court.
Safety inspecting officers visited it after concerns were raised by the health and social care watchdog the CQC last February.
It found a number of failings, including blocked fire escape routes on the ground floor.
Elsewhere, on the home’s second floor another fire exit – an external staircase – was completely inaccessible because of scaffolding and unsuitable for use by residents because it was so steep.
Another external staircase on the first floor was also blocked by scaffolding.
Other fire safety failings discovered by the Brigade’s inspectors included the failure to keep an up to date fire risk assessment, the lack of any emergency plan in the event of a fire and an inadequate fire detection system.