New Look, a top high street clothing chain was fined a record £400,000 for breaching fire safety law after a fire started at their Oxford Street, London, branch. Allegedly, inadequate emergency exits and poor staff training led to staff failing to react to the fire alarm and allowing customers to continue shopping as the fire spread through the building.

It was reported that the fire alarm went off intermittently, but it was only when people walking passed the store shouted warnings, staff realised the seriousness of the problem and ordered everyone to leave. The emergency services were contacted by the store manager of the store opposite.

Joanne Weaver, one of the shoppers in the store when the fire started said “Staff within the shop did not seem to have a plan to evacuate people. They went from no cause for alarm, to panic”.

This is the biggest fine a company has received since the new fire safety legislation came into force in 2006.